The much maligned fruitcake

[White Feather]

I have a great deal of fun on this site reading about foods. So much more fun than "war". Thanks.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

I'm not so sure she didn't make a loaf of pemmican...

It does kind of look like a loaf of pemmican.

I'm sure your daughter's fruitcake is very tasty !

 

[diane]

It does kind of look like a loaf of pemmican.

I'm sure your daughter's fruitcake is very tasty !

Dry. But...that gives you an excuse for something to wash it down with! She's really good on the regular meals but the holiday things...well, she's still learning!

 

[Carronade]

Fruitcake update - a fruitcake was found in a hut in Antarctica used by Robert Falcon Scott's tragic expedition in 1911. The 106-year-old cake was said to be in "excellent condition" - that is to say, as good as ever.....

 

[nitrofd]

Fruitcake update - a fruitcake was found in a hut in Antarctica used by Robert Falcon Scott's tragic expedition in 1911. The 106-year-old cake was said to be in "excellent condition" - that is to say, as good as ever.....

I guess it was a frozen fruit cake.

 

[Jimklag]

View attachment 117191

Fruitcake is a holiday staple even if its dreaded by many today. Believe it or not but its been around since the Roman times - their version included pomegranates, raisins and pine nuts mixed into barley based mixture, which was more akin to a modern power bar. The modern version we know today was born in the Middle Ages when dried fruit became available in Europe. Fruitcake really took off during the 17th century when in the American Colonies they discovered that high concentrations of sugar could preserve fruits. This discovery provided an excess of candied fruit, hence making fruitcakes affordable and more popular as a result.

The tradition of making fruitcakes for special occasions such as weddings and holidays gained in popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries and due to the cost of the ingredients as it was considered a grand indulgence between the nuts, dried or candied fruit and brandy. But, as with many traditions, how this confection came to be exclusively associated with the Christmas season is still a mystery. Many speculate its holiday association comes from it being a special treat made it a go to recipe for bakers during the season. It also travels well and keeps for a long period of time which made it an ideal holiday treat to send to someone as a gift.

Most American mass-produced fruit cakes are alcohol-free today, but traditional recipes are saturated with liqueurs or brandy and often covered with powdered sugar, both apparently prevent mold. Here's my contribution to the fruitcake hall of fame, a simple and quick treat that isn't heavy and is actually enjoyed by my family and friends.

Mini Christmas Fruitcakes

Ingredients

• 13 1/4 ounces mixed dried fruit (cranberries work especially well with the carrot cake!)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup sweet sherry (brandy)
• 1 egg (lightly beaten)
• 16 1/2 ounces carrot cake mix
• 1 cup sliced almonds (or pecans)

You also need 8 mini loaf pans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease 8 mini loaf pans. Line bases with parchment paper.
2. Bring fruit, 1/4 cup water and oil to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 mins. Let cool, then beat in sherry and egg. Add cake mix and almonds and mix until combined. Distribute between loaf pans, smooth tops and bake for 35-40 mins, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in pans.

My wife's grandmother sent us a fruitcake every year at Christmastime. When you opened the package the blast of bourbon was amazing. She baked them herself and those who have only ever had commercial fruitcake don't have any idea what they're missing. I miss those fruitcakes. My wife buys us a rum fruitcake every year from the Trappist monastery and it's pretty good. But it can't compare to Miss Glays's.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

My wife's grandmother sent us a fruitcake every year at Christmastime. When you opened the package the blast of bourbon was amazing. She baked them herself and those who have only ever had commercial fruitcake don't have any idea what they're missing. I miss those fruitcakes. My wife buys us a rum fruitcake every year from the Trappist monastery and it's pretty good. But it can't compare to Miss Glays's.

It's true, a real homemade one is best. Those icky 'bricks' that turn up at the holidays is what gave the fruitcake a bad name.

Fruitcake update - a fruitcake was found in a hut in Antarctica used by Robert Falcon Scott's tragic expedition in 1911. The 106-year-old cake was said to be in "excellent condition" - that is to say, as good as ever.....

Well they did pull a woolly mammoth fairly well preserved out of the ice and he was well over 30,000 years old, so I'm sure a 106 year old fruitcake would hold up. Interesting though that they packed a fruitcake for their expedition.

 

[Carronade]

. Interesting though that they packed a fruitcake for their expedition.

I suppose they figured it wouldn't spoil - though how could you tell??

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

I suppose they figured it wouldn't spoil - though how could you tell??

LOL! Well, I did see a spoiled one once at the office. It had some mold on it, but I think it was kept someplace too warm for too long. Though frozen one, well, that would probably last forever!

On a sort of similar note, someone purchased a slice of Queen Victoria's wedding cake last year at auction - http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-jersey-37373425
It's very scary looking and appears to be fruitcake

 

[donna]

Neat about finding the fruitcake. But as I have posted before if you ever had a homemade one like my Granny's recipe, you would enjoy them.

I know this strange time of year but actually a slice of fruitcake would be good now with my coffee. Instead of Christmas in July, how about Christmas in August.

Have a Merry Day. We need some fun about now instead of all the gloom and doom.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Neat about finding the fruitcake. But as I have posted before if you ever had a homemade one like my Granny's recipe, you would enjoy them.

I know this strange time of year but actually a slice of fruitcake would be good now with my coffee. Instead of Christmas in July, how about Christmas in August.

Have a Merry Day. We need some fun about now instead of all the gloom and doom.

Indeed! In Alice in Wonderland style - Have a Merry Un-Christmas with a slice of fruitcake @donna! I think the world is in dire need of something cheerful!

On a somewhat unrelated note, the Hallmark Channel's Christmas in July movies was a big ratings hit!

 

[Carronade]

View attachment 117191

Fruitcake is a holiday staple even if its dreaded by many today. Believe it or not but its been around since the Roman times -

I think I've seen that one!

 

[PeterT]

Neat about finding the fruitcake. But as I have posted before if you ever had a homemade one like my Granny's recipe, you would enjoy them.

I know this strange time of year but actually a slice of fruitcake would be good now with my coffee. Instead of Christmas in July, how about Christmas in August.

Have a Merry Day. We need some fun about now instead of all the gloom and doom.

I'm having my morning coffee now (actually more like elevenses) and I want fruitcake too!

 

[Carronade]

 

[DaveBrt]

My wife made full size fruit cakes for Christmas for many years. She made the mini cakes as gifts for friends and even their children said they were good -- so we will trust the word out of the mouth of children.

About 20 years ago, she changed to cranberry bread for both us and gifts.

We still like fruit cakes and, in our all-to-frequent trips to Waco (4 round trips a year minimum), we stop going each way at the Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, TX for fruit cakes, apricot cakes and COOKIES.

 

[nitrofd]

Real fruit cakes are okay,but the stuff they sell in the stores at holiday ,if you had a little mortar you could build a house with.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Thought I would bump up this post for the holiday season.

 

[donna]

Another recipe for fruitcake. This one from "Old Time Recipes To Enjoy". "The Kentucky Explorer Magazine"

"Brown sugar, walnuts, almonds, eggs, butter, currents, almonds; as well as mixed spices and peels. butter and sugar,eggs.

Note: The person who gave this old recipe has no amounts. I guess they figured one knew what to do. This would be one you have to guess to make. I really like measurements.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Many recipes from years ago made assumptions that you knew how much of each ingredient you would need. Also, old recipes have the habit of saying things like make a pie crust, etc. again assuming you knew how to make a crust.

I don't think I've seen almonds with walnuts in a fruitcake recipe before, so that's an interesting combination to consider.

 

[Carronade]

Latest fruitcake news, from an article about the upcoming wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle:

"British wedding cakes normally have a top tier of fruitcake—the idea being that it can be saved and served at the christening of the couple's first child without spoiling."

Hopefully at least nine months later

However Harry and Meg will not be following tradition, nor did Will and Kate.