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  • Menu Recipes for December: In Defense of Fruitcake

Menu Recipes for December: In Defense of Fruitcake

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Fruitcake is a much-maligned dessert. It is the target of many rude holiday jokes and the object of heartless re-gifting. Our cousin Richard has been known to make remarks about spare tires and doorstops while eyeing the large round Christmas fruitcake on its pedestal. However, we have noted that he is the first to saw his way through the huge dense pastry, slather it with hard sauce and dig in.

Modern food purists who disparage the candied fruits and long life of fruitcake fail to appreciate the history of this ancient dessert. Fruitcakes were developed in many European countries hundreds of years ago to preserve summer fruits and nuts so that they could still be enjoyed during the winter holidays when the outside world is dark and covered with snow. Before the advent of refrigeration, summer fruits were preserved by soaking them in brandy, honey or sugar, and candied fruits, especially cherries and citrus peels, became a staple of winter festivities. If you find the high fructose corn syrup and food coloring in commercially prepared candied fruit cloying, we are happy to provide easy recipes for making your own candied fruits and peels.

The cakes themselves can be made months before the holidays, soaked in brandy or sweetened fruit juice and aged in a metal cake box in a cool dark place. Far from making the fruitcakes unpalatable, this process allows the ingredients to meld and mellow, enhancing both the flavor and texture of a classic fruitcake. In England, when it is time to serve the cake, it is traditional to cover the top of the cake with thinly rolled out marzipan and decorate it with Royal Icing and additional candied fruits, silver sprinkles or colored sugar. A marzipan topped Christmas fruitcake is the pinnacle of the joyful holiday feast.

For those of you who are willing to give fruitcake a chance, we offer three additional versions, from very traditional to contemporary and from simple to complex. Any one of these cakes will add to the glory of the Christmas celebration.

In Defense of Fruitcake Menu Recipes (8 Recipes Included)
     Kathleen’s Fruitcake without Candied Fruit
     Country Christmas Cake with Marzipan and Royal Icing
     Royal Icing
     Candied Ginger
     Candied Cherries
     Candied Citrus Peel
     Ambrosia
     Easy Orange Pound Cake with Candied Cranberries
     Candied Cranberries
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Copyright © 2015 by Epilogics
  • Home
  • About/Blog
    • Who We Are
    • Our Credentials
    • Tea Travels - Rose's Blog
    • Cakes and Tea - Kathleen's Blog
    • Contact Us
  • The Tea Book
    • The Road Back to Civilization
    • A Brief History of Tea
    • Philosophy of Tea >
      • Harmony
      • Humility
      • Respect
      • Creativity
    • Guidelines for the Host/Hostess >
      • Gathering and Greeting
      • Sharing Stories
      • Sharing Food
      • Sending the Guests Home
    • Guidelines for the Guest >
      • Respect Your Hostess/Host
      • Bring a Gift if You Wish
      • Practice Humility
      • Monitor Your Conversation
      • Arrive with a Grateful Attitude
      • Help if Help is Needed
      • Do Not Criticize
      • Leave Gracefully
      • Send a Thank You Note
    • A Checklist for Planning a Tea Party
    • Teas of the World and How to Make Tea >
      • A Sampling of Teas
      • Herbal Teas and Tisanes
      • How to Make Tea
      • Making Iced Tea
      • Tea Concentrate
      • Brewing Tea for a Crowd
    • Tea Utensils and Accessories >
      • Tea Kettle
      • Tea Pot
      • Tea Cozy
      • Teacups
      • Plates
      • Silverware
      • Teacart
      • Tea Strainer
      • Tea Infuser
      • Three-Tiered Server
      • Cream Pitcher and Sugar Bowl
      • Cake Pedestal
      • Trifle Bowl
      • Jam Pots
      • Serving Dishes, Platters, and Trays
      • Silver Tea Set or Silver Tray
      • Linens
      • Kitchen Equipment for Food Preparation
    • Tea Menu Basics >
      • Sandwiches and Savories
      • Savory Spreads and Dips
      • Scones and Tea Breads >
        • About Lemons
    • Afternoon Tea and the Four Seasons >
      • A Spring Tea
      • An Outdoor Summer Tea
      • An Autumn Afternoon Tea
      • A Winter Afternoon Tea
    • A Calendar of Tea Parties >
      • January: A Japanese New Year’s Tea
      • February: A Valentine’s Day Tea
      • March: A St. Patrick’s Day Irish Tea
      • April: An Easter Tea
      • May: A Mother’s Day Tea
      • June: A Wedding Reception Tea >
        • Lemon Yogurt Wedding Cake
      • July: A Picnic Tea
      • August: A Family Reunion Tea >
        • A North American Family Reunion Tea
        • An Eastern Mediterranean Family Reunion Tea
        • A Kosher Family Reunion Tea
        • A Scandinavian Family Reunion Tea
      • September: An Ozark Farm Harvest Tea
      • October: A Tea to Honor Our Ancestors (Dia de los Muertos)
      • November: A Post Thanksgiving Tea
      • December: A Christmas Tea >
        • In Defense of Fruitcake: Fruitcakes and Candied Fruit
    • A World of Tea Parties >
      • A Chinese Dim Sum Tea
      • A Portuguese Tea
      • A Classic British Afternoon Tea
      • An Indian Chai Party
      • A California Tea
      • A Hawaiian Tea
      • An Italian Tea
      • An American Southern Tea
      • A Russian Tea
      • A French Afternoon Tea
      • A Kosher Tea with Tradional Jewish Foods
    • Afternoon Tea for Special Occasions >
      • An Afternoon Tea for Children
      • A Tea for Our Elders
      • A Honey Bee Tea in the Garden
      • An Urban Tea on the Go
      • Tea for One
      • Afternoon Tea for a Large Group
      • A Vegan Tea
      • A Rose Tea
  • Purchase Recipes
  • Resources
    • Bibliography and Resources
    • Menu and Recipe Index
    • Commercial Food Products
    • Glossary