Christmas in July 2025
2025 CIJ July 28th
Fruit cake
Fruit cake
Love it or leave it fruitcake has been a part of Christmas traditions around the world for many years.
Some historians claim that fruitcake has existed since ancient Egyptian times. It is believed that people would leave them inside the tombs of the departed. The theory is that the cakes served as food for the afterlife.
In Roman times soldiers would bring fruit bars “satura” into battle. The base of barley mash was studded with nuts, raisins and pomegranate seeds. These bars were easily transportable and would last a very long time without spoiling.
The middle ages are where the richer versions of fruit cake started becoming more popular. The exotic ingredients of raisins, currents, almonds, citrus peel, allspice, ginger, cinnamon and black pepper were considered to be luxuries and only meant for special occasions such as Christmas.
The Victorians loved baked fruitcake and could not wait until the holidays to enjoy it. Guests at the wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were served fruitcake. After this fruitcake became the choice at most weddings including the weddings of Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1981 and Prince William and Princess Catherine in 2011.
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Fruitcakes around the world.
The history of the fruitcake discussion isn't complete without mentioning its numerous forms developed by different cultures! Here are some of the more popular.
Stollen in Germany is an extremely popular holiday cake. Stollen generally combines yeast, water, flour, orange zest and all sorts of spices, nuts, and dried fruit.
Thanks to the numerous distilleries in the Bahamas their local fruitcake is soaked in dark rum. Even the rest of the ingredients, candied fruits, raisins and walnuts get the same treatment to develop a rich and deep flavour.
The two Italian creations of Panforte and Panettone remain popular today. Panforte has a pungent spice flavour while Panettone is a uniquely textured hearth cake with dried and candied fruit.
In Australia, fruitcake is consumed throughout the year, but most commonly at Christmas, and is available at most major retail outlets. The cake is sometimes iced but generally is plain. It is often consumed with custard.
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In Australia we do enjoy fruit cake but not the heavily decorated varieties that were so popular in the past. My husband has been making our fruitcake for many, many years. This cake is light, contains no alcohol and can be made very quickly. It does not last as long as regular fruitcake but is so delicious it does not last long anyway.
Jamie's Pineapple Fruit Cake.
450gr tin crushed pineapple in juice (undrained)
125gr margarine
375gr mixed dried fruit
1 cup sugar
1tsp mixed spice
1tsp bi-carb soda
1 cup each plain and self raising flour
2 eggs.
Add pineapple, margarine, fruit, sugar, spice and bi-carb soda into a large pot and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
Once cool stir in the flours and the eggs and mix well.
Pour into a greased and paper lined 18cm square tin. Bake at 180C for 1 1/4 hours or until cooked through.
Leave in tin for 5 minutes before turning onto a rack to cool fully.
Please give this recipe a try this CIJ and let me know what you thought of it.
