Fruitcake: Good or Evil?

[von Corax]

So the question is, "Fruitcake: love it or hate it?"

Discuss.

[Banfili]

Love fruit cake! Dark fruitcake, light fruitcake, Genoa fruitcake, in between dark and light fruitcake, small fruitcake, large fruitcake, patty cake sized fruitcake!

There is nothing like sinking one's fangs into a moist, dark fruitcake that has been curing in just the right amount of alcoholic beverage, accompanied by a sharp, vintage cheese, and beverage of choice. Dark fruitcake for the winter, light fruitcake for the summer!

When I was a kid my paternal grandmother used to make a Christmas fruitcake and send it down to us, and later on an aunt on the other side of the family would send me a pudding and a cake every year. As she got older that just became a cake - she was still making and sending cake until she was into her early nineties!

Reminds me, I must get some fruitcake for Christmas!

[chicar]

I don't dislike fruitcake but usually have always something handy to wash it down.

[von Corax]

I, as I indicated with my vote, am sworn to do everything in my power to reduce the world's supply of fruitcake by eating it at every opportunity.

[Mercury Wells]

Dundee Cake or Christmas Cake, even a Christmas pudding style?

[Banfili]

Dundee Cake or Christmas Cake, even a Christmas pudding style?

Whatever type, as long as there is cake, and fruit!

[Mercury Wells]

Dundee Cake or Christmas Cake, even a Christmas pudding style?

Whatever type, as long as there is cake, and fruit!

Seasoned/steeped in huge amounts of booze aswell? 

[Banfili]

Dundee Cake or Christmas Cake, even a Christmas pudding style?

Whatever type, as long as there is cake, and fruit!

Seasoned/steeped in huge amounts of booze aswell? 

Absolutely!! Although the alcohol has mostly gone by the time you eat it!
Dammit, I want some now, and I haven't got any!

[Mercury Wells]

Dundee Cake or Christmas Cake, even a Christmas pudding style?

Whatever type, as long as there is cake, and fruit!

Seasoned/steeped in huge amounts of booze aswell? 

Absolutely!! Although the alcohol has mostly gone by the time you eat it!
Dammit, I want some now, and I haven't got any!

Janurary is the best time to start to make one & every fortnight inject a couple of oz of good booze, right up til Xmas day (heck you could possibly use small chunks of it as fire lighters).

[Banfili]

Dundee Cake or Christmas Cake, even a Christmas pudding style?

Whatever type, as long as there is cake, and fruit!

Seasoned/steeped in huge amounts of booze aswell? 

Absolutely!! Although the alcohol has mostly gone by the time you eat it!
Dammit, I want some now, and I haven't got any!

Janurary is the best time to start to make one & every fortnight inject a couple of oz of good booze, right up til Xmas day (heck you could possibly use small chunks of it as fire lighters).

I just had to go out in the heat and smoke and walk across to the IGA and buy a fruit cake, dammit! 

[RJBowman]

I had one once that was probably two thirds pecan halves, held together with a little bit of cake, chopped dried dates, and spice; that one was good.

But I've had some that were pretty awful.

[Will Howard]

LOVE THEM...!

[Synistor 303]

Mother-in-law's fruitcake = one tablespoon of the cheapest dried fruit you can find, cook for as many hours as it takes to blacken; this ensures the driest crumb.

My fruitcake = start steeping the fruit in booze in October. Make glacé pineapple and glacé apricots to ensure they are moist and have lots to put in the cake. Stick fruit together with the smallest amount of cake mix as is possible. Bake in tin lined with five layers of paper to ensure it doesn't burn or dry out.

[Banfili]

Mother-in-law's fruitcake = one tablespoon of the cheapest dried fruit you can find, cook for as many hours as it takes to blacken; this ensures the driest crumb.

My fruitcake = start steeping the fruit in booze in October. Make glacé pineapple and glacé apricots to ensure they are moist and have lots to put in the cake. Stick fruit together with the smallest amount of cake mix as is possible. Bake in tin lined with five layers of paper to ensure it doesn't burn or dry out.

I'll have some of yours, please, Synistor, hot, with custard and ice cream!!

[Sorontar]

I like fruitcake as it comes, hot or cold, no cream or silly nuts, just fruit and cake.

Sorontar

[Athanor]

'Tis my opinion that the temptation to add nuts to fruitcake must be sternly resisted.

But, that's just me. Anyone else agree?

Athanor

[Banfili]

'Tis my opinion that the temptation to add nuts to fruitcake must be sternly resisted.
But, that's just me. Anyone else agree?
Athanor

Agree completely, fruitcake does not need nuts!

[Synistor 303]

'Tis my opinion that the temptation to add nuts to fruitcake must be sternly resisted.

But, that's just me. Anyone else agree?

Athanor

That's why there is Bishop's Bread...

[Banfili]

'Tis my opinion that the temptation to add nuts to fruitcake must be sternly resisted.

But, that's just me. Anyone else agree?

Athanor

That's why there is Bishop's Bread...

That sounds quite nice - might hunt up the recipe and give it a go when the ambient temperature in my kitchen  is less than that of the oven!

[Caledonian]

I now want to try a fruitcake

[Banfili]

I now want to try a fruitcake

A nice, rich dark, moist fruit cake, (preferably moistened with brandy), sharp cheese and hot beverage of choice - nothing better! Have a go!

Fruit cake has to be moist - if it's too dry, then it has probably been slightly overcooked, or not enough fluid added in the first place.

[Cora Courcelle]

Fruitcake - good, marzipan on fruitcake - good, royal icing on marzipan - good. (Fondant icing on marzipan bad). Tiny model of Santa trick-skiing over top of cake - excellent (he lost one of his ski's sometime in the late 1960s and that was my Mother said every year afterwards - when she said she was going to buy a new Santa the entire family said no - he was part of our Christmas traditions!)

[Banfili]

Fruitcake - good, marzipan on fruitcake - good, royal icing on marzipan - good. (Fondant icing on marzipan bad). Tiny model of Santa trick-skiing over top of cake - excellent (he lost one of his ski's sometime in the late 1960s and that was my Mother said every year afterwards - when she said she was going to buy a new Santa the entire family said no - he was part of our Christmas traditions!)

Fruitcake - very good, if not excellent, marzipan on fruitcake - never good, icing on fruitcake - nah, not unless it's a special occasion cake, like wedding or birthday.
'They' put marzipan on my 21st birthday cake, despite me asking 'them' not too! I think the stuff is horrible!
It is just my opinion - everyone else is, of course completely and fully entitled to theirs!

[Cora Courcelle]

Fruitcake - good, marzipan on fruitcake - good, royal icing on marzipan - good. (Fondant icing on marzipan bad). Tiny model of Santa trick-skiing over top of cake - excellent (he lost one of his ski's sometime in the late 1960s and that was my Mother said every year afterwards - when she said she was going to buy a new Santa the entire family said no - he was part of our Christmas traditions!)

Fruitcake - very good, if not excellent, marzipan on fruitcake - never good, icing on fruitcake - nah, not unless it's a special occasion cake, like wedding or birthday.
'They' put marzipan on my 21st birthday cake, despite me asking 'them' not too! I think the stuff is horrible!
It is just my opinion - everyone else is, of course completely and fully entitled to theirs!

I will selflessly volunteer to take care of any unwanted marzipan ......

[Banfili]

I will gladly send you any and all marzipan that comes my way in the future!