The story of how the popular Christmas Fruitcake originated and how to make the ''original" cake

Christmas festivities are incomplete without a cake and the most popular variant that most people opt for is a Fruitcake. Loaded with a number of nuts, berries, candied fruits, raisins, apricots, figs, dates etc. Fruitcake is indeed a delight to have. Traditionally the nuts and fruits are soaked in alcohol concoction, which is usually rum, brandy, wine or whisky. This adds a strong and boozy flavour to the cake. But how did Fruitcake become synonyms with Christmas? Read on to know the history of Fruitcake and how it garnered its popularity. (image credits- istock)

Also See: Christmas special: Tea cake recipes you must try today

It is said that the oldest version of Fruitcake is similar to an energy bar which was made by Romans to fuel up their soldiers who went to the battlefield. This Roman version of Fruitcake was made using barley, honey, wine and dried fruits.

Some historians also say that Fruitcakes were left inside the tombs of the dead in ancient Egypt. These Fruitcakes were served as sustenance for the afterlife.

Also See: Ginger Ale Recipe: How to make the classic Ginger Ale at home

During the Crusades too (a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period) Fruitcake was used for nourishment of the soldiers. Their Fruitcakes were made using bread, honey, spices, nuts and dried fruits.

During the 1600s, the Europeans brought tonnes of sugar from colonized lands back to their homeland. People started preserving fruits by chopping them into small bits, coating them in sugar syrup and then drying them. That’s how candied fruits were made. Since this technique preserved fruits for long, people even started using these fruit combinations to make cakes. This technique became extremely popular in regions where there was limited access to fresh fruits.

Also See: Christmas 2021: How to perfectly roast Chicken for Christmas

Fruitcakes have a long shelf life because of the presence of alcohol in them. Back in the days, people used to prepare ‘Make and Mature Cakes’ which used to even last a year. The U.S. Department for Agriculture (USDA) suggests that Fruitcakes can be stored for one month in the pantry, up to 6 months when refrigerated and up to a year when frozen.

It is said that the tradition of cake mixing started in the 17th century. In order to mark the arrival of the harvest season, people used to combine almonds, cashews, raisins, dates, figs, dried cherries, pistachios, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, dried ginger, candied fruits, prunes, walnuts and then soak them in rum, brandy, wine or a combination of fruit juices and alcohol. This process used to increase the shelf life of the Fruitcake.

Also See: Allahabadi Cake, the traditional Indian Christmas food made since ages

Fruitcakes are not just limited to USA or UK but are popular around the globe with each country having their own version of it. In Germany Fruitcake is called ‘Stollen’ and has a signature garnish of powdered sugar on top which gives it a snowy look.

In Italy, Fruitcakes are called ‘Panforte’ or ‘Pannetonne’, while Poland and Bulgaria call them ‘Keks’. in Portugal, they are called ‘Bolo Rei’, while in Vietnam Fruitcakes are called ‘Banh Bo Mut’. In Ireland, Fruitcakes are called ‘ Barmbrack’, while in Romania they are called ‘Cozonac’.

Fun fact- Do you know that the only record verified by the Guinness organization is the world's oldest cake, which is a 4,176-year-old cake discovered in an Egyptian tomb?

Ingredients required- 1 cup orange juice, 2 cup rum, 1 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, ¼ cup oil, ½ cup curd, 2 cup refined flour, ¼ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 pinch salt, 1 cup dates, ¼ cup raisins, ½ cup mixed tutti frutti, ½ cup mixed dried berries, ¼ cup dried figs, ¼ cup apricot, ¼ cup cashews and ¼ cup almonds.

Method

• Step 1

Add all the chopped nuts and fruits to a large bowl. Pour 1 cup of orange juice and 2 cups of rum into the bowl. Soak them properly in the juice-rum mixture for at least 12 hours.

• Step 2

Add butter and sugar to a bowl. Use an electric whisker to whisk them together. Keep whisking till they are creamed well and you get a smooth paste.

• Step 3

Now add oil, curd and again whisk well. To this mixture add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon powder, salt and give a mix.

• Step 4

Also, add the soaked fruits and nuts. Add the orange-rum mixture as per need. Give a nice mix to attain a creamy mixture. Now line a baking tin/mould with parchment paper and grease it with some oil.

• Step 5

Pour the mixture into the tin. Slide the tin into a preheated oven and bake at 170 degrees Celcius for 80-90 minutes. Insert a toothpick to check, if it comes out clean, your cake is ready.

• Ready to be served

Chop the cake into pieces and serve. Enjoy!

For scrumptious recipes, videos and exciting food news, subscribe to our free Daily and Weekly Newsletters.