Savory Seasonal Fruitcakes Making Comeback

Love it or hate it, the often ridiculed fruitcake is making a comeback.

Some credit for the rise in fruitcake sales is attributed to the Slow Food movement, which promotes traditional food products and vintage preparation methods.  I think there’s a simpler explanation for the renewed appreciation for this seasonal delicacy -- fruitcake tastes good, especially when laced with whiskey, rum or brandy, as are the fruitcakes at Slice of Heaven Bakery, 2099 Bentley Plaza, Fenton. www.catherinesconfectionary.com

“There’s been a lot more interest in fruitcake cake this year,” said Catherine Kidder, owner of Slice of Heaven Bakery who makes the traditional holiday cake with or without nuts. “I think it has a lot to do with getting back to the old days - back to grandma’s day and Christmas tradition.”  

Traditional American fruitcake is the cousin of the English steamed plum pudding, a dense raisin and fruit spiced batter that’s steamed and laced with liquor. In comparison, fruitcake is slowly baked but still has a rich density that’s heavy with fruit and nuts. And no matter the fruit combinations, or batter, fruitcake recipes differ, resulting in dark or light fruitcakes as well as lighter verisons that some call white fruitcake, a term used in the South.

Some recipes call for a select mixture of fruits and nuts. My fruitcake recipe is based on a 19th century receipt (the old term for recipe) that calls for 3 1/2 pounds of fruit and nuts before it’s slow baked for 3 1/2 hours. Afterwards, it’s cooled and wrapped with whiskey soaked cheesecloth and aged for three weeks. Soaking and aging the fruitcake with alcohol isn’t a necessity but it certainly adds to a fruitcake’s complexiy.

“Our fruitcake is based on a pound cake recipe,” said Kidder. “We add in red and green cherries, pineapples and other things, which I can't tell you because that’s the secret to our recipe. But I can tell you we finished each with an apricot brandy glaze.”  

Kidder plans to have fruitcake available for her customers until Christmas but warns she may sell out. “If you want to make sure you have a fruitcake, give us a call a couple of days in advance to place an order.”  

Even though there are only days left before Christmas, you can still make your own fruitcake.  Try making a smaller, lighter version of the traditional cake. Or, if time is running out, support your local Fenton or High Ridge bakery. It will help support the baker and provide a merrier Christmas for all.  

White Fruitcake 

A traditional recipe updated by Suzanne Corbett

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup milk
• 3 cups flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup coconut
• 1cup candied cherries
• 2 cups candied pineapple
• 2 cups chopped walnuts
• 7 egg whites, beaten
• candied red or green cherries for garnish
• white corn syrup

In a large mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Mix together flour with baking powder, then, add to sugar butter mixture alternately with milk. Add vanilla, fruit and nuts. Beat egg whites until foamy, fold into batter. Pour into two greased loaf pans. Bake for one hour at 350 degrees. Cool. To decorate cakes cut cherries in half and dip in corn syrup and place on top of each cake, which will allow them to stick to the top of the cakes.  Makes two cakes.