What is the story behind fruit cake?
Fruitcake is an ancient goody, with the oldest versions a sort of energy bar made by the Romans to sustain their soldiers in battle. The Roman fruitcake was a mash of barley, honey, wine and dried fruit, often pomegranate seeds.
Who invented fruit cake?
Roman times
Fruitcake
A traditional English fruitcake | |
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Type | Cake |
Created by | Originally from Roman times |
Main ingredients | Candied fruit and/or dried fruit, nuts, spices, sugars, flour |
Variations | Iced fruitcake, diabetic fruitcake, gluten-free fruitcake, lactose-free fruitcake |
When was the first fruit cake made?
The oldest reference that can be found regarding a fruitcake dates back to Roman times. The recipe included pomegranate seeds. Pine nuts, and raisins that were mixed into barley mash. Honey, spices, and preserved fruits were added during the Middle Ages.
Is Christmas cake a British thing?
British variations Christmas cake is an English tradition that began as plum porridge.
Why is fruit cake a Christmas tradition?
The American tradition of eating fruitcake around the holidays stemmed from the British tradition, when the dessert was sometimes called Christmas cake or plum cake. This fruitcake was incredibly popular in Victorian England, when it became a vital part of celebrating holidays and weddings.
What is the oldest known fruit cake?
TECUMSEH, Michigan, United States–Julie Ruttinger, 56, who lives just outside Detroit, Michigan, is the proud keeper of a 141-year-old fruitcake; Julie is the great-great-granddaughter of Fidelia Ford, who baked the fruit cake in 1878; the 141 year-old cake sets the world record for the Oldest fruitcake, according to …
What is the oldest fruit cake?
What is fruit cake called in England?
During Shakespearean times, it was made up of meat, wine, sherry, fruit juices, sugar, and some preserved fruits. After a while, though, the meat was eliminated, and more fruit was added in its place. It became known as “plum pudding,” and was basically plum cake.
Did fruitcake originate in Egypt?
Fruitcake is exactly what it sounds like: cake made with lots of chopped candied or dried fruit. Fruitcake also typically contains lots of nuts and spices. Some historians believe that the ancient Egyptians would put an early version of the fruitcake in the tombs of loved ones.
How many years can you keep a fruit cake?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that fruitcake will last two to three months in the refrigerator without spoiling, and will maintain its quality if stored up to a year in the freezer.
Why do we eat fruitcake at Christmas?
Why is the fruitcake a traditional holiday staple? According to the New York Times, fruitcake dates back to a food enjoyed by ancient Romans called satura — a mix of barley, pomegranate seeds, nuts, and raisins held together with honey. Some speculate that this dish was invented as a way to preserve fruit.
How old is the oldest fruitcake?
141-year-old
TECUMSEH, Michigan, United States–Julie Ruttinger, 56, who lives just outside Detroit, Michigan, is the proud keeper of a 141-year-old fruitcake; Julie is the great-great-granddaughter of Fidelia Ford, who baked the fruit cake in 1878; the 141 year-old cake sets the world record for the Oldest fruitcake, according to …
How old is the oldest fruit cake?
Is figgy pudding the same as fruit cake?
Figgy pudding — aka plum pudding, plum porridge, Christmas pudding and steamed pudding — is chockablock with dried fruit but tastes nothing like fruitcake.
How did fruit cake become a holiday tradition?
What is the difference between plum cake and fruit cake?
The term “plum cake” and “fruit cake” have become interchangeable. Since dried fruit is used as a sweetening agent and any dried fruit used to be described as “plums”, many plum cakes and plum puddings do not contain the plum fruit now known by that name.
Is fruit cake English?
Fruitcake has been around since ancient Roman times. You may know that fruitcake has roots in England, but that’s not where it originated. It has been around since ancient Roman times, where it was made of a mix of pine nuts, barley mash, pomegranate seeds, raisins, and honeyed wine.
Does fruit cake get better with age?
Fruitcakes taste better with age! This is called “ripening.” Liquor based cakes may be stored several months in advance in a cool place prior to serving. Non-liquor soaked cakes may be kept in a cool place or in refrigerator for short term storage or a or freezer for long storage.
What is the oldest fruitcake?
Is British Christmas cake the same as fruit cake?
A Christmas cake is a rich cake containing dried fruits and usually having a covering with icing and marzipan. Sometimes, we also call it a fruitcake. Christmas cakes contain a lot of fruits, sugar, and brandy or rum. A traditional English cake has currants, sultanas, and raisins, which have soaked in rum or brandy.
Why we eat plum cake in Christmas?
The story of plum cakes started in medieval England, where it was a popular tradition to observe a period of fasting and abstinence from any kind of feasting in the weeks leading to Christmas. The fasting and abstinence would hold you in good stead for the indulgent days ahead.
Is Christmas pudding the same as fruit cake?
The key difference between fruit cake and Christmas pudding is that fruit cake is a cake containing dried fruits, nuts and spices, made with butter and baked in the oven while Christmas pudding is a steamed suet pudding. Both fruit cakes and Christmas puddings are two sweet dishes popular during the Christmas season.