I think fruitcakes get a bad rap at the holidays. I’m here to say I’m pro-Fruitcake. I love a rich, moist, boozy, fruit-laden, chewy fruitcake as a gift. But then I’m a fan of richly spiced brown breads and banana bread, which I claim as part of the fruitcake family tree. We celebrate the fruitcake in America on December 27 with National Fruitcake Day. But then only a few weeks later we lampoon it on January 7 with National Fruitcake Toss Day.
I’ve written about the Poor Man’s Fruitcake my paternal grandmother made. It even got a legit testimonial from my discerning maternal grandmother, who ran a bakery for 30 years with my Grandpa. The North German Klaben, ‘Whispering Stollen’ and My Grandmother’s Poor Man’s Fruitcake | dannwoellertthefoodetymologist (wordpress.com).
What is now the Oakley Kitchen was once the Martha Ann Fruitcake Factory The Fruit in Cincinnati Fruitcake | dannwoellertthefoodetymologist (wordpress.com). The Rheinstrom brothers on Eastern Avenue not only supplied wine and liquor, but also the glace fruits that Cincinnatians of bygone days used to make their holiday fruitcakes.
The Fruit in Cincinnati Fruitcake | dannwoellertthefoodetymologist (wordpress.com).
Most of the American fruitcakes with which we’re familiar ascend from two European sources – either the German Christmas Stollen or the English Figgy Pudding. The English Figgy pudding busted pop culture when it was included in Charles Dickens, a Christmas carol and the lyrics of the song We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Figgy pudding or plum pudding, appeared first in 14th century Britain as sort of a fruity grain sausage, not unlike our beloved Goetta, made with any sort of dried fruit (mostly raisins and currents) beef or mutton bits, and veggies. By the 16th century, it had dropped its savory flavors, and by Dickens’ time, it became boozy and flammable. It, along with Dutch gingerbread, have the distinct notoriety of being the only two Christmas treats banned by governments. Our own Puritans banned the Figgy Pudding in Britain in 1647, but thankfully King George I reinstated it, so its seed could be spread throughout the British empire.
The English Figgy Pudding spawned several other holiday fruitcakes – the Caribbean rum cake, of which the Tortuga brand is the most prominent, the Black Cake of Barbados, and the interesting Sri Lankan Christmas cake.
Catholic families in Sri Lanka celebrate with a mixed dinner of Sri Lankan classics and some fusion dishes like the memorable Sri Lankan Christmas cake. This is no usual fruit cake. After Sri Lanka adopted the Christmas cake tradition from the British, they added their own twist. If you are a Christmas cake fan, the Sri Lankan version will blow your mind. The ingredients are distinctly Sri Lankan.
It uses pitted dates, preserved cherries, raisins, sultanas, dried orange peel and unsalted roasted cashew nuts. For consistency and smoothness in the cake, there are three kinds of preserves used to marinade the dried fruits – Pumpkin preserve, ginger preserve and chow chow preserve (also known as chayote). Then, there are liquids and syrups used to soak the cake. Golden syrup, arrack, rose water, brandy and honey are the usual liquids added to the Christmas cake marinade. Golden syrup is a type of caramel with lemon essence and arrack is a coconut liquor from Sri Lanka. These ingredients will moisten up the fruits and jams for a few days before it’s all ready to bake. Since Sri Lankan Christmas cake is a fusion of European fruit cake and Asian influence, it wouldn’t be complete without the spices. Powdered clove, cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg are added to the fruit and preserves to give the cake a distinctive Sri Lankan flavor. And, Sri Lankan cooks will tell you that it must have original Ceylon Cinnamon and not the European kind.
Hawaii has a rum-soaked pineapple-macadamia nut holiday cake, with brands like Lilikoi and Kona.
Allahabadi cake is a traditional Indian rum fruit cake originating and lending its name from the north Indian city of Allahabad. Allahabadi cake is a Christmas cake popularly prepared by the Christian population of India and Pakistan. Allahabadi cake is made with maida flour, eggs, clarified butter, sugar, petha, marmalade, nuts, ginger and fennel as its main ingredients. Dry fruits and nuts are soaked in rum for enhanced flavor.
Italy of course has its version of the fruitcake – the brioche like, fruit filled panetone, made in sort of a tall, narrow bundt cake form.
Eastern European countries like Bulgaria and Poland have their Keks, very similar to the German stollen.
Portugal has is Bolo Rei or King Cake, which has a small bean inside that assigns the finder to bring the next cake.
Although not a Christmas fruitcake, Vietnam makes one called Bahn bo mut, for their Lunar New Year in January. Although its fruitier than the other moon cakes and various sweet bean paste-filled cakes made by other Asian nations for Lunar New Year, they could also be lumped into the category of holiday fruit cake.
Nicaragua has a dessert called Pio Quinto, consisting of cake drenched in rum, topped with a custard, and dusted with cinnamon. Some recipes also include rum soaked prunes or raisins Pio Quinto is eaten after meals or during Christmas time. The cake is believed to have been named after Pope Pius V, but the reason is unknown.
So, wherever in the world you decide to spend your Christmas holiday, chances are there’s a local fruitcake you can pair with your dinner.
dannwoellertthefoodetymologist 