The holiday season can be so busy and stressful with a packed schedule running all over town and lots of details to see to. Why not take a break and treat yourself to a rich, festive Christmas goodie? Sweets, candies, and cookies abound during the holidays, but nothing else compares to the great flavor and tenderness of a piece of traditional Christmas fruitcake.
Culturally, fruitcake has been a holiday punchline, known as a gift no one wants. In 1978, Johnny Carson famously joked about it, everyone laughed, and fruitcake’s reputation never recovered. However, fruitcake is currently experiencing a burst of popularity thanks to the recipe in Claire Saffitz’s book Dessert Person The book’s massive popularity as a New York Times Bestseller has lots of people making fruitcakes. The recipe is discussed at length on a subreddit dedicated to the book, and there’s a youtube video of a reader attempting the recipe, which is a 2 month process of repeated booze soaking!
If you want to get in on the trend right away, stop at your local Shoprite and get one of these:
Chill your fruitcake for 24 hours and then cut thin slices with a sharp knife. It’s a delicious mini dessert for after a weeknight dinner during the Holidays, or also perfect to share when friends or neighbors stop by.
During December, you might find other fruitcakes at ShopRite as well. Pannetone is an italian fruitcake, and stollen is a german fruitcake. If you’re willing, it may be worthwhile to make your own from one of many recipes available online.
Fruitcakes also make great gifts. There are many long-standing family businesses selling their beautiful and delicious fruitcakes online. Collin Street Bakery looks like the biggest name in fruitcakes, but the Trappist Monks’ Monastery Fruitcake also looks enticing:
There are many options, including rum or whiskey soaked cakes, and ones packed in traditional tins. Premium options can get very pricy!
Fruitcake deserves recognition as a holiday dessert staple and a Christmas icon. Its appeal is global, with many countries having their own unique and regionally-specific fruitcake recipes.
Fruitcake is much more than a punchline, it’s a one pound brick of a cake, densely packed with candied fruit and nuts, and often soaked in booze. It’s a masterpiece of great flavor and tenderness, and its exactly what you’re craving.
https://www.amazon.com/Dessert-Person-Recipes-Guidance-Confidence/dp/1984826964.
https://collinstreet.com/blog/johnny-carsons-infamous-fruitcake-joke