If you have had Christmas cake, you have probably tasted a fruitcake in some form. And, as the name suggests, this cake is definitely fruity. You may or may not be a fan depending on your taste. If however, you have wanted to make your own version of the fruitcake, perhaps with a little more or little less fruit, you can take pointers from many variations of the cake that exists today.

 

A fruitcake can be either light or heavy, depending on the amount and type of fruit that is used to bake the cake. While there are many uncontested claims to the origin of this cake, a fruitcake will definitely vary in taste and appearance depending on what part of the world it is from. According to some, the reason why there are a number of different variations of the fruitcake is because immigrants from the Caribbean, Germany and England brought their own take on the cake to the United States.

 

In many Caribbean households the word fruitcake is used synonymously with “black cake” mainly because the cake, more often than not has cake browning added to it, making it a dark cake. In these households the preparation of the fruitcake is an art in itself and the type of fruit used will, for the most part, differ from what is used in North American kitchens. In the Jamaican kitchen fruits are usually soaked year round. However if you are a first time baker, soaking the fruit at least two to three weeks before the actual baking of the cake will suffice. Use fruits such as raisins, prunes, cherries, lemon peel and orange peel; all diced and soaked in red wine and or/dark rum. The recipe for the rest of the fruitcake will be the same familiar one we are accustomed to in the USA.

 

Since the holiday season is almost upon us, this would be a great time to find your fruitcake style and surprise your friends and family. Whether you opt to try the dark fruitcake, the Texas Pecan cake, a festive assortment of ‘all the above’ or just make your own unique version, there is a wealth of online shopping companies and resources for you to choose from. You are sure to find a tasty cake that suits your style. 

 

It is never too late to start your own family tradition, you never know, you just might become nutty for fruitcake yourself!