College Park, MD (December 4, 2001) - It's the butt of jokes, but people keep giving it, and now scientists are saying that there may be hope for that holiday fruitcake after all. Peter Barham, a University of Bristol physicist and author of "The Science of Cooking," says that by using a little chemistry and physics even a stale fruitcake that's been sitting for years can be revived, and it may be better than ever.

"The reason fruitcake, or any cake for that matter, goes stale, is because it appears to lose its moisture," says Barham. But the moisture isn't really lost; the starch in the cake has simply absorbed it. The problem, Barham explains, is that the molecules in the starch (flour) are trying to get back to the ordered form they had when they were wheat. But since the starch can't make that transformation, it does the next best thing by hijacking the water from the cake to form small crystals. With all the water caught up by these starch molecules, the cake tastes dry, and is tougher to digest. But Barham says a little physics can solve the problem. "You just need to melt the starch crystals," he says, "which can be done by heating the cake."

Barham suggests wrapping the cake in aluminum foil (to prevent any moisture from escaping) and slowly warming the cake in a 130 degree oven before serving. "This will melt the crystals, release the water, and re-freshen the cake." Once the cake starts to cool however, the drying process will begin again.

But what about the taste?

Barham contends that fruitcakes actually get better the longer they sit. "The dried fruits in the cake can actually age," he says, "much like wine ages over time." The tannins present in the fruit (which are also present in grapes and are part of the aging process in red wine) seep into the cake, changing chemically to create intense and distinct flavor compounds. The longer the cake sits, he says, the more varied and intense the flavors become. In fact, if you're looking to bake a fruitcake this year it's probably too late, it won't have time to age, but the one that Aunt Maude gave you last year might do nicely.

## ## ##

For more information contact:
Rory Richards
Inside Science News Service
(301) 209-3088

Expert:
Peter Barham
Physics Department, University of Bristol
England
+011-44-117-928-8711