Keeping Snow Topped Spice/Chocolate Xmas Cakes

Our answer

The Snow-Topped Spice Cake contains ground almonds (almond meal) so will be fairly moist and the cake itself should keep for 7 to 10 days in an airtight container in a cool place. It can also be made in advance and frozen (undecorated). If you are freezing the cake then wait until it has cooled completely and wrap it tightly in 2-3 layers of clingfilm (plastic wrap), making sure there are no gaps anywhere, followed by a double layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw the cake unwrap it and defrost at room teperature for about 4 hours.

However we would suggest that the icing is only added the night before you serve the cake. As the cake is moist the icing will soften over time so we would suggest that you make the icing as thick as possible.

The Chocolate Christmas Cake can also be made up to 3 months in advance and frozen (undecorated), tightly wrapped as for the Spice Cake above. Defrost the cake overnight at room temperature then unwrap and decorate. The cake can also be made 2-3 weeks in advance and stored in a cool place, tightly wrapped in a double layer of greaseproof paper or baking parchment (parchment paper) and a double layer of foil.