Food safety question

[mj1]

So Grandma ordered three small fruitcakes which were shipped to her at the end of December and were kept in a refrigerator. Sometime in early to mid January she took the fruitcakes out and soaked them in alcohol (Brandy, I think). She wrapped them up in either a cheese cloth or old t-shirt with an outer layer of aluminum foil. She put them on top the freezer in the garage where they are currently still sitting.

I'm wondering whether these would still be safe to eat? I'm sure she probably thinks they are and will insist that I try one. But considering they've been sitting on a freezer which probably gets warm and the outside temperature fluctuates, I can't imagine they'd be safe. The temperature in the garage has ranged from 25 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. One day might be 40, the night might be 25, then the next day might be 70, then the night be 35. The temperatures around here have been crazy this year.

Do you think these fruitcakes would still be safe to eat? It's really the fluctuating temperatures that have me concerned, plus that they're sitting on top a freezer. It would seem like this would be the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. I would throw them away myself, but I know Grandma is gonna want me to taste one of them.

 

[Dawgluver]

I used to order fruitcake from a monastery for my mom (now deceased, but not from fruitcake), and they were always shipped without any refrigeration. The monastery ships year 'round, during all kinds of temps. I see fruitcakes in stores that are left out in all kinds of temps. I think you should be fine. If it smells funny, don't eat it. My issue might be that she took the FC from the original wrapper and rolled it in a t-shirt...

 

[Andy M.]

Fruit cakes never were refrigerated throughout history. The high sugar content and the booze serve to keep them safe. I'd eat it.

 

[GLC]

In fact, classic fruitcake is aged in brandy. Of course, that normally means soaking the cheesecloth (or Uncle Fred's tee-shirt) in brandy and wrapping the cake, but her method should work. But it's plenty well aged after a month, so it's certainly time to go ahead and freeze it or eat it. It's not getting any better now.

 

[jennyema]

It will probably show obvious mold if it's bad.

 

[Dawgluver]

I think the consensus is: go ahead and eat it. I would.

 

[Oldvine]

If it's a good fruit cake recipe, I would enjoy them. If it's recipe that no one has ever liked, this is a good excuse to get rid of them.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I agree with the others.

If you don't see mold it is probably fine.

I would serve small slices of it with some good sharp cheddar cheese.

If it is dry then I would serve it with a warm nutmeg sauce.

Nutmeg sauce:

1/4 to a 1/2cup of sugar
1 T of cornstarch.
1/4 to 1/2 t of ground nutmeg
1 cup boiling water
1/2 to 1t vanilla extract
1 T butter

Mix sugar, cornstarch and nutmeg together in a saucepan, stir in boiling water. Stir over medium heat until the mixture thickens and clears. Remove from heat, add vanilla extract and butter, continue stirring until the butter melts and serve.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Another vote for it should be safe. My MIL made a really good (honest!) fruitcake every holiday season. We lived in OH and she lived in FL. She'd mail it out the day after Thanksgiving at the latest, already cheesecloth wrapped and doused with rum, then wrapped in foil. When she was being silly she'd even put a "tax stamp" over the fold! It came with directions to unwrap the foil, add more rum, re-wrap and return to the counter once a week. By Christmas the foil was getting tiny pinholes in it from the alcohol! It was good and safe every single year.

Nothin' like chasing it down with a small glass of Drunken Cherries.

 

[TATTRAT]

Fruitcakes don't have a shelf life, they have a half life.


Your eyes and nose, knows.

 

[CraigC]

Fruitcakes don't have a shelf life, they have a half life.


Your eyes and nose, knows.

That is why it is a gift that keeps on being given! I think the same fruitcake was passed around for five years before someone opened it and "pickled" it.

 

[Zagut]

Fruitcakes are made to pass on from generation to generation.

Either recepie or the Fruitcake itself.

 

[mj1]

I never got a chance to get back to this thread after I started it.

So you all think it's perfectly safe to store a fruitcake in the garage in drastically fluctuating temperatures? I thought that would cause bacteria to grow, especially in warm temperatures.

I've actually been so busy that I haven't made it over to Grandma's yet. I'm supposed to go this weekend. I'm anxious to see if the fruitcake is still in the garage.

 

[Mad Cook]

So Grandma ordered three small fruitcakes which were shipped to her at the end of December and were kept in a refrigerator. Sometime in early to mid January she took the fruitcakes out and soaked them in alcohol (Brandy, I think). She wrapped them up in either a cheese cloth or old t-shirt with an outer layer of aluminum foil. She put them on top the freezer in the garage where they are currently still sitting.

I'm wondering whether these would still be safe to eat? I'm sure she probably thinks they are and will insist that I try one. But considering they've been sitting on a freezer which probably gets warm and the outside temperature fluctuates, I can't imagine they'd be safe. The temperature in the garage has ranged from 25 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. One day might be 40, the night might be 25, then the next day might be 70, then the night be 35. The temperatures around here have been crazy this year.

Do you think these fruitcakes would still be safe to eat? It's really the fluctuating temperatures that have me concerned, plus that they're sitting on top a freezer. It would seem like this would be the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. I would throw them away myself, but I know Grandma is gonna want me to taste one of them.

There is so much sugar in a rich fruitcake that it's unlikely that any bacteria would survive let alone when it came into contact with all that alcohol. Check it for mould before eating although I wouldn't expect to see it in this sort of cake. Ditto insects.

I've eaten Christmas fruitcake (made in November) in early summer and it's been fine. In fact rich fruit cakes actually improve with age. And we once ate a 5 year old Christmas pudding (similar ingredients) that we found at the back of a wardrobe and it was delicious - the best I'd ever made.

 

[CatPat]

Romanian fruitcake is wrapped tightly after given the bath of alcohol and it remains to be edible without refrigeration.

I have eaten many of these and I am not dead yet. I think it will be all right.

Your friend,
~Cat