I read a newspaper article yesterday written by a non-USA person, who
had experienced life in a Brtitsh-style culture for a while. The
article was all about fruit cakes.

Apparently fruit cakes (the genuine version please people LOL) are
virtually unknown in the USA. I didn't know that.

A long-standing British tradition is the fruit cake: Dundee cake is a
light fruit cake (light in fruit content), and a Sultana cake is
similar but the only fruit are sultanas. Rich Christmas or Wedding
cake is something else again.

The hearty wedding cake, or Christmas cake, is a rich fruit cake, made
with lots oif eggs and brandied fruit, not so much flour and no
raising agents. It is moist with fruit and laden with flavour. It
is absolute heaven.

There are many uses for this fruit cake other than serving it in small
wedges for afternoon tea around Christmas time. You can heat it and
serve it with brandy custard as a winter pudding; you can chill it
and serve a wedge with vanilla ice cream any time.

I make a big big Christmas fruit cake every year and save some for
winter, but it is usually all gone by May!


Daisy.

Don't assume malice for what stupidity can explain.

"Daisy" > wrote in message
...

> I read a newspaper article yesterday written
> by a non-USA person, who had experienced
> life in a Brtitsh-style culture for a while. The
> article was all about fruit cakes.
>
> Apparently fruit cakes (the genuine version please
> people LOL) are virtually unknown in the USA.
> I didn't know that.

I think the writer of the article didn't do his homework. Fruitcakes
of various kinds, including the traditional British-style cake, are
widely known, if often reviled, in the US.

-j

That sounds like my recipe, but remember light can also mean light batter,
meaning it's colour.

"Daisy" > wrote in message
...
> I read a newspaper article yesterday written by a non-USA person, who
> had experienced life in a Brtitsh-style culture for a while. The
> article was all about fruit cakes.
>
> Apparently fruit cakes (the genuine version please people LOL) are
> virtually unknown in the USA. I didn't know that.
>
> A long-standing British tradition is the fruit cake: Dundee cake is a
> light fruit cake (light in fruit content), and a Sultana cake is
> similar but the only fruit are sultanas. Rich Christmas or Wedding
> cake is something else again.
>
> The hearty wedding cake, or Christmas cake, is a rich fruit cake, made
> with lots oif eggs and brandied fruit, not so much flour and no
> raising agents. It is moist with fruit and laden with flavour. It
> is absolute heaven.
>
> There are many uses for this fruit cake other than serving it in small
> wedges for afternoon tea around Christmas time. You can heat it and
> serve it with brandy custard as a winter pudding; you can chill it
> and serve a wedge with vanilla ice cream any time.
>
> I make a big big Christmas fruit cake every year and save some for
> winter, but it is usually all gone by May!
>
>
> Daisy.
>
> Don't assume malice for what stupidity can explain.

Daisy > wrote in
:

> I read a newspaper article yesterday written by a non-USA person, who
> had experienced life in a Brtitsh-style culture for a while. The
> article was all about fruit cakes.
>
> Apparently fruit cakes (the genuine version please people LOL) are
> virtually unknown in the USA. I didn't know that.
>

Actually, various type of fruitcakes are well known in the USA.
Generally, however, they do not enjoy a very good reputation here. They
are joked about by many and, I suspect, often by people who have never
even tasted one. There are many poor excuses for fruitcake sold
commercially and they truly deserve the derision.

OTOH, many families have treasured fruitcake recipes that are baked and
enjoyed every year. I imagine that their origins are mostly British. My
family has traditionally baked three types of fruitcake, all of which I
love. My very favorite cake is like the traditional Christmas cake,
dark, rich with fruits and nuts, moist with rum and brandy, and made with
only enough batter to hold it all together. We also bake a "white
fruitcake" that only contains candied fruits and peels and nuts, but no
dried fruit. It is made with somewhat more batter and is not quite as
moist. The third is almost a dead-ringer for the Dundee Cake. I also
love this one, but have never considered it a true fruitcake, yet, I
suppose it is.

A note of humor... There are stories of families gifting members with
the same fruitcake (never eaten) for years on end. I'd be willing to bet
that the foundations to these stories is based on truth. <G>

FWIW, on the Saturday following Christmas, I baked 20 pounds of
"Christmas Cake" to be stored away and mellowed for the Christmas of
2004.

Cheers,
Wayne

"Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in
message . ..
: Daisy > wrote in
: :
: [snipped]

: family has traditionally baked three types of fruitcake, all of which
I
: love. My very favorite cake is like the traditional Christmas cake,
: dark, rich with fruits and nuts, moist with rum and brandy, and made
with
: only enough batter to hold it all together. We also bake a "white
: fruitcake" that only contains candied fruits and peels and nuts, but
no
: dried fruit. It is made with somewhat more batter and is not quite as
: moist. The third is almost a dead-ringer for the Dundee Cake. I also
: love this one, but have never considered it a true fruitcake, yet, I
: suppose it is.
: [snipped]
:
: FWIW, on the Saturday following Christmas, I baked 20 pounds of
: "Christmas Cake" to be stored away and mellowed for the Christmas of
: 2004.
:
: Cheers,
: Wayne

Query, given your extensive experience on the subject: Is there any
flavor difference to be gained by adding spirits to the exterior of the
cake in question and "aging" it, versus macerating the fruit in spirits
(for 2-3 days?) prior to adding it to the batter?

-Mabry-

"Mabry" > wrote in news:kPJJb.286095$J77.39872
@fed1read07:


> Query, given your extensive experience on the subject: Is there any
> flavor difference to be gained by adding spirits to the exterior of the
> cake in question and "aging" it, versus macerating the fruit in spirits
> (for 2-3 days?) prior to adding it to the batter?
>
> -Mabry-

FWIW, I do both. I macerate both the fruit and nuts in spirits (usually
rum and brandy, and sometimes a liqueur), along with all the spices in
the recipe, for at least a week or so before baking the cake. I want to
be sure that the dried fruits are well plumped with spirits and the peels
and candied fruit have softened a bit. The time has run as long as a
month when something prevented me from following sooner with the baking,
and the results were superb.

After baking I cool until lukewarm in the pans, then remove to racks and
peel off the lining paper. I then brush the exteriors on all sides with
a mixture of spirits, followed by securely wrapping each cake in muslin
soaked in spirits. The cakes are then wrapped in polythene and, finally,
in aluminum foil. For the next week, each day the cakes are unwrapped,
brushed with spirits, the muslin re-moistened, then rewrapped. At this
point they should need no further attention. I pack them in boxes and
store away. Because our weather is much warmer here than in Britain, I
will often freeze excess cakes for much longer storage, although without
freezing they will keep a good year.

Around November I will unwrap one cake to test it for moisture content
and flavor development. If needed, I will again brush with spirits and
rewrap until time for serving.

HTH
Wayne

"Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in
message . ..
: "Mabry" > wrote in news:kPJJb.286095$J77.39872
: @fed1read07:
:
: [snipped]
:
: Around November I will unwrap one cake to test it for moisture content
: and flavor development. If needed, I will again brush with spirits
and
: rewrap until time for serving.
:
: HTH
: Wayne
:
:
:

Thanks-much to ponder. I macerated only the fruit (w/ all flavorings)
and toasted the nut pieces for a separate/different flavor to be added
at batter time. Even though I used good brandy (+ dark rum), I felt
that there was a bit too much bite-without-flavor and may just use the
rum exclusively. Perhaps I shall experiment with the 1/2 cake I have
left and do the aging bit to compare the results.

-Mabry-
Prefix published addy with 'A-'

On Sat, 3 Jan 2004 21:32:06 -0800, "Mabry"
> wrote:


> Thanks-much to ponder. I macerated only the fruit (w/ all flavorings)
> and toasted the nut pieces for a separate/different flavor to be added
> at batter time. Even though I used good brandy (+ dark rum), I felt
> that there was a bit too much bite-without-flavor and may just use the
> rum exclusively. Perhaps I shall experiment with the 1/2 cake I have
> left and do the aging bit to compare the results.
>
I've used brandy, bourbon and rum for this purpose.
Rum is my preference.


Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Sat, 03 Jan 2004 15:42:12 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
> wrote:

>Daisy > wrote in
:
>
>> I read a newspaper article yesterday written by a non-USA person, who
>> had experienced life in a Brtitsh-style culture for a while. The
>> article was all about fruit cakes.
>>
>> Apparently fruit cakes (the genuine version please people LOL) are
>> virtually unknown in the USA. I didn't know that.
>>
>
>Actually, various type of fruitcakes are well known in the USA.
>Generally, however, they do not enjoy a very good reputation here. They
>are joked about by many and, I suspect, often by people who have never
>even tasted one. There are many poor excuses for fruitcake sold
>commercially and they truly deserve the derision.
>
>OTOH, many families have treasured fruitcake recipes that are baked and
>enjoyed every year. I imagine that their origins are mostly British. My
>family has traditionally baked three types of fruitcake, all of which I
>love. My very favorite cake is like the traditional Christmas cake,
>dark, rich with fruits and nuts, moist with rum and brandy, and made with
>only enough batter to hold it all together. We also bake a "white
>fruitcake" that only contains candied fruits and peels and nuts, but no
>dried fruit. It is made with somewhat more batter and is not quite as
>moist. The third is almost a dead-ringer for the Dundee Cake. I also
>love this one, but have never considered it a true fruitcake, yet, I
>suppose it is.
>
>A note of humor... There are stories of families gifting members with
>the same fruitcake (never eaten) for years on end. I'd be willing to bet
>that the foundations to these stories is based on truth. <G>
>
>FWIW, on the Saturday following Christmas, I baked 20 pounds of
>"Christmas Cake" to be stored away and mellowed for the Christmas of
>2004.
>
>Cheers,
>Wayne

Thanks Wayne. I guessed that there would be people in the US who
loved rich fruit cakes as much as I.

As an addition, have you tried skewering holes in the fruit cake while
it is still fairly warm (or hot) from the oven and pouring rum or
brandy into the holes?

I did this with the small rich fruit cake (the smallest of three) from
my wedding cake trio. I wanted to use it for the first Christening.
I topped it up every year with more brandy.

Well, it was 3 and a half years as it happened! The cake was
glorious - if a bit alcoholic! But enjoyed by all. Whilst the cake
was stone cold every time I added the liquor, it was so successful I
have done it since with the cake being hot or very warm (the better
for the cake to absorb the alcohol).

I have made the cakes that are even quantities of fruit and nuts, but
for my personal taste, the richer fruit cake with the nuts thickly
laden on top is our favourite.

Cheers and Happy New Year.

Daisy.

Don't assume malice for what stupidity can explain.

I made an authentic Plum Pudding this year, mainly for the sake of
nostalgia. I grew up with the tradition of this rich and beautiful bomb
of a cake. Although I could not find the suet that I had used in the
past, nor the dark brown sugar on the short notice I gave myself, I
supplemented lard, and the light-brown variety of sugar. I fondly
decorated the mold with glase' cherries and fruit, even some roasted
pecans ( purely on what would be the surface ), and steamed it a full 6
hours. Once done, I saturated it with a fine French brandy, then kept
the treatment going a week and a half until it was quite heavy and rich
in color and aroma. The evening of dinner party I poured a moat of
brandy around the pudding, turned down the lights and lit the pool so it
flamed long and dramatically. It was a joyous success with the guests;
for some a first-time occasion!

Just a Jeanie

Daisy > wrote in
:


> Thanks Wayne. I guessed that there would be people in the US who
> loved rich fruit cakes as much as I.
>
> As an addition, have you tried skewering holes in the fruit cake while
> it is still fairly warm (or hot) from the oven and pouring rum or
> brandy into the holes?

You might catch my other post on this issue but, briefly, I mascerate the
fruit and nuts in rum and brandy (along with the spices) for about a week
before baking the cake. When baked and still a bit warm, I brush all the
surfaces with a mixture of rum and brandy. Rather than a true skewer, I
use a very thin "cake tester" to poke holes through the cake and I think
sufficient spirits run through. For the first week after baking, I
repeat the brushing and drizzling every day, then wrap for storage. As
you said about your cake, it's wonderful!

> I did this with the small rich fruit cake (the smallest of three) from
> my wedding cake trio. I wanted to use it for the first Christening.
> I topped it up every year with more brandy.
>
> Well, it was 3 and a half years as it happened! The cake was
> glorious - if a bit alcoholic! But enjoyed by all. Whilst the cake
> was stone cold every time I added the liquor, it was so successful I
> have done it since with the cake being hot or very warm (the better
> for the cake to absorb the alcohol).

I can imagine how good it was! Some years ago I "inherited" a Christmas
cake that my grandmother had made and forgotten about. It was actually
about ten years old, but it had been well prepared and sealed up. It was
really quite good.

I don't re-warm the cakes on subsequent liquor additions, but it seems to
soak up adequately. I love rum! Perhaps on the next "feeding" I will
try warming one up to compare.

>
> I have made the cakes that are even quantities of fruit and nuts, but
> for my personal taste, the richer fruit cake with the nuts thickly
> laden on top is our favourite.

I haven't measured precisely, but I think my cakes are roughly made of
equal frut and nuts. I generally use a mix of walnuts, pecans, almonds,
and hazelnuts. The fruits are a mixture of raisins, sultanans, currants,
figs, dates, apricots, and dried cherries, and candied (or glacéed)
pineapple, cherries, ginger, lemon and orange peels, and citron.

Before storing, I decorate the tops with patterns of pecans, pineapples,
and cherries, glacing with warmed corn syrup.

And, Happy New Year to you as well!

Wayne

(Jean Clarke) wrote in
:

> I made an authentic Plum Pudding this year, mainly for the sake of
> nostalgia. I grew up with the tradition of this rich and beautiful
> bomb of a cake. Although I could not find the suet that I had used
> in the past, nor the dark brown sugar on the short notice I gave
> myself, I supplemented lard, and the light-brown variety of sugar. I
> fondly decorated the mold with glase' cherries and fruit, even some
> roasted pecans ( purely on what would be the surface ), and steamed it
> a full 6 hours. Once done, I saturated it with a fine French brandy,
> then kept the treatment going a week and a half until it was quite
> heavy and rich in color and aroma. The evening of dinner party I
> poured a moat of brandy around the pudding, turned down the lights and
> lit the pool so it flamed long and dramatically. It was a joyous
> success with the guests; for some a first-time occasion!
>
> Just a Jeanie
>
>

Jean, you Plum Pudding sounds like a celebration in itself! I can just
imagine how wonderful it looked and tasted.

While I've made many types of fruitcakes, I must confess that I've never
done a plum pudding. I fear I may not have the patience for the
steaming and such. One of these days I should really give it a go.

Wayne

"Mabry" > wrote in news:kPJJb.286095$J77.39872
@fed1read07:


>:
>: FWIW, on the Saturday following Christmas, I baked 20 pounds of
>: "Christmas Cake" to be stored away and mellowed for the Christmas of
>: 2004.
>:
>: Cheers,
>: Wayne
>
> Query, given your extensive experience on the subject: Is there any
> flavor difference to be gained by adding spirits to the exterior of the
> cake in question and "aging" it, versus macerating the fruit in spirits
> (for 2-3 days?) prior to adding it to the batter?
>

I'm not Wayne (and he's probably made more fruitcakes than me),but I'm
curious - is there any reason you wouldn't do both?

I macerate the fruit in the grog for a day or two (depending on how
organised I am - it was three days this year as I didn't get around to
making the cake the day I meant to) before making the cake. After the
cake comes out of the oven I then pour more of whatever spirit I'm using
over the cake before wrapping cake and tin tightly in foil and leaving to
cool. A tip I read in a recipe that I used this year said to cool the
cake upside down to get a nice flat top on the cake for decorating. I
wasn't planning to decorate it but thought I'd try it, and it worked.

If making the cake far enough ahead (I did a last minute cake this year
that only got aged for a couple of weeks - everybody who had it thought
it was great, but of course it would have been better if made earlier) I
would then add more spirits during the aging process.

I didn't think I needed to choose between the two processes.


Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

"Daisy" > wrote in message
...
> I read a newspaper article yesterday written by a non-USA person, who
> had experienced life in a Brtitsh-style culture for a while. The
> article was all about fruit cakes.

One thing I've noticed in this thread is that, while the thread is titled
"Christmas Cake", the conversation so far is about fruit cake, plum cake or
similar. For me, a Christmas Cake is similar to a fruit cake, but has
layer(s) of marzipan and nice crunchy icing over that.

Charlie

"Rhonda Anderson" > wrote in message
.5...
: "Mabry" > wrote in news:kPJJb.286095$J77.39872
: @fed1read07:
:
:
: >:
: >: FWIW, on the Saturday following Christmas, I baked 20 pounds of
: >: "Christmas Cake" to be stored away and mellowed for the Christmas
of
: >: 2004.
: >:
: >: Cheers,
: >: Wayne
: >
: > Query, given your extensive experience on the subject: Is there any
: > flavor difference to be gained by adding spirits to the exterior of
the
: > cake in question and "aging" it, versus macerating the fruit in
spirits
: > (for 2-3 days?) prior to adding it to the batter?
: >
:
: I'm not Wayne (and he's probably made more fruitcakes than me),but I'm
: curious - is there any reason you wouldn't do both?
:
Yes, to make the flavor of the fruit separate from the flavor of the
cake itself. I felt that if it all tasted the exact same, and the only
difference was "mouth feel", that was tantamount to melting chocolate
chips and stirring the chocolate flavor through the cookie batter.

-Mabry-
: I macerate the fruit in the grog for a day or two (depending on how
: organised I am - it was three days this year as I didn't get around to
: making the cake the day I meant to) before making the cake. After the
: cake comes out of the oven I then pour more of whatever spirit I'm
using
: over the cake before wrapping cake and tin tightly in foil and leaving
to
: cool. A tip I read in a recipe that I used this year said to cool the
: cake upside down to get a nice flat top on the cake for decorating. I
: wasn't planning to decorate it but thought I'd try it, and it worked.
:
: If making the cake far enough ahead (I did a last minute cake this
year
: that only got aged for a couple of weeks - everybody who had it
thought
: it was great, but of course it would have been better if made earlier)
I
: would then add more spirits during the aging process.
:
: I didn't think I needed to choose between the two processes.
:
:
: Rhonda Anderson
: Cranebrook, NSW, Australia
:
:
:

"Charles Gifford" > wrote in
hlink.net:

>
> "Daisy" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I read a newspaper article yesterday written by a non-USA person, who
>> had experienced life in a Brtitsh-style culture for a while. The
>> article was all about fruit cakes.
>
> One thing I've noticed in this thread is that, while the thread is
> titled "Christmas Cake", the conversation so far is about fruit cake,
> plum cake or similar. For me, a Christmas Cake is similar to a fruit
> cake, but has layer(s) of marzipan and nice crunchy icing over that.
>
> Charlie

Charlie, I think it depends largely on your country of origin or culture,
and family tradition. IMHO, "Christmas Cake" as a title is most often
referred to by the English and "usually" implies a rich and heavy fruit-
laden cake. While not often baked in layers, many fruitcakes in England
are covered completely in marzipan, then iced in what I believe is a
Royal Icing, which is certainly crunchy. I don't believe I have ever
seen any type of fruitcake in the USA covered in anything at all.

My family's heritage is English, although back many generations. My
maternal grandmother's fruitcake was never covered in anything. However,
she didn't call it a Christmas Cake. Christmas in her home usually
revealed 6-8 different types of rich cakes (many with fruits either in
the cake or in the filling) and none of them were actually called
Christmas Cake.

FWIW,
Wayne

"Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in message
. ..
> "Charles Gifford" > wrote in
> hlink.net:
>
> >
> > "Daisy" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> I read a newspaper article yesterday written by a non-USA person, who
> >> had experienced life in a Brtitsh-style culture for a while. The
> >> article was all about fruit cakes.
> >
> > One thing I've noticed in this thread is that, while the thread is
> > titled "Christmas Cake", the conversation so far is about fruit cake,
> > plum cake or similar. For me, a Christmas Cake is similar to a fruit
> > cake, but has layer(s) of marzipan and nice crunchy icing over that.
> >

I am British, and you are quite right that the Christmas cake is fed with
brandy/rum for a week or two and then it is painted with warmed and sieved
apricot jam [jelly] which helps the marzipan to stick the cake is then fully
covered in Marzipan and finally iced with Royal icing and either made to
look like a snow scene if you are not so good at icing or it is flat iced
and them elaborately decorated with piped icing rather like a wedding cake.
Diane

"Diane Epps" > wrote in
:

>
> "Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in
> message . ..
>> "Charles Gifford" > wrote in
>> hlink.net:
>>
>> >
>> > "Daisy" > wrote in message
>> > ...
>> >> I read a newspaper article yesterday written by a non-USA person,
>> >> who had experienced life in a Brtitsh-style culture for a while.
>> >> The article was all about fruit cakes.
>> >
>> > One thing I've noticed in this thread is that, while the thread is
>> > titled "Christmas Cake", the conversation so far is about fruit
>> > cake, plum cake or similar. For me, a Christmas Cake is similar to
>> > a fruit cake, but has layer(s) of marzipan and nice crunchy icing
>> > over that.
>> >
>
> I am British, and you are quite right that the Christmas cake is fed
> with brandy/rum for a week or two and then it is painted with warmed
> and sieved apricot jam [jelly] which helps the marzipan to stick the
> cake is then fully covered in Marzipan and finally iced with Royal
> icing and either made to look like a snow scene if you are not so good
> at icing or it is flat iced and them elaborately decorated with piped
> icing rather like a wedding cake. Diane

Diane, I'm not sure that the progression of your quotes are right, so I'm
not sure if you're responding to what I posted.

However, thank you for confirming what I believed about British
Christmas Cakes. I had forgotten about the apricot jam. While I do bake
fruitcakes, I don't cover them in marzipan, but if I'm prsenting the
whole cake I do glaze them with apricot jam.

Thanks,
Wayne

"Mabry" > wrote in news:CaXJb.347020$J77.53628
@fed1read07:

> "Rhonda Anderson" > wrote in message
> .5...
>: "Mabry" > wrote in news:kPJJb.286095$J77.39872
>: @fed1read07:
>:
>:
>: >:
>: >: FWIW, on the Saturday following Christmas, I baked 20 pounds of
>: >: "Christmas Cake" to be stored away and mellowed for the Christmas
> of
>: >: 2004.
>: >:
>: >: Cheers,
>: >: Wayne
>: >
>: > Query, given your extensive experience on the subject: Is there any
>: > flavor difference to be gained by adding spirits to the exterior of
> the
>: > cake in question and "aging" it, versus macerating the fruit in
> spirits
>: > (for 2-3 days?) prior to adding it to the batter?
>: >
>:
>: I'm not Wayne (and he's probably made more fruitcakes than me),but I'm
>: curious - is there any reason you wouldn't do both?
>:
> Yes, to make the flavor of the fruit separate from the flavor of the
> cake itself. I felt that if it all tasted the exact same, and the only
> difference was "mouth feel", that was tantamount to melting chocolate
> chips and stirring the chocolate flavor through the cookie batter.
>

Um, with the type of fruitcake I like and make there's really not that
much in the way of "cake" to separate from the fruit. The cake is really
fruit with just enough batter to hold it together.

Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

"Charles Gifford" > wrote in
hlink.net:

>
> "Daisy" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I read a newspaper article yesterday written by a non-USA person, who
>> had experienced life in a Brtitsh-style culture for a while. The
>> article was all about fruit cakes.
>
> One thing I've noticed in this thread is that, while the thread is
> titled "Christmas Cake", the conversation so far is about fruit cake,
> plum cake or similar. For me, a Christmas Cake is similar to a fruit
> cake, but has layer(s) of marzipan and nice crunchy icing over that.


Here, Christmas cake is a dark fruit cake made at Christmas time <g>. It
may sometimes be iced with marzipan and royal icing, but not necessarily. I
never ice mine. I think I've mostly only eaten fruitcake with marzipan and
royal icing when it's wedding cake. That's a traditional wedding cake here,
and what I had at my wedding, although nowadays people often have different
cakes.

Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

On Mon, 05 Jan 2004 07:01:58 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
> wrote:

>"Diane Epps" > wrote in
:
>
>>
>> "Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in
>> message . ..
>>> "Charles Gifford" > wrote in
>>> hlink.net:
>>>
>>> >
>>> > "Daisy" > wrote in message
>>> > ...
>>> >> I read a newspaper article yesterday written by a non-USA person,
>>> >> who had experienced life in a Brtitsh-style culture for a while.
>>> >> The article was all about fruit cakes.
>>> >
>>> > One thing I've noticed in this thread is that, while the thread is
>>> > titled "Christmas Cake", the conversation so far is about fruit
>>> > cake, plum cake or similar. For me, a Christmas Cake is similar to
>>> > a fruit cake, but has layer(s) of marzipan and nice crunchy icing
>>> > over that.
>>> >
>>
>> I am British, and you are quite right that the Christmas cake is fed
>> with brandy/rum for a week or two and then it is painted with warmed
>> and sieved apricot jam [jelly] which helps the marzipan to stick the
>> cake is then fully covered in Marzipan and finally iced with Royal
>> icing and either made to look like a snow scene if you are not so good
>> at icing or it is flat iced and them elaborately decorated with piped
>> icing rather like a wedding cake. Diane
>
>Diane, I'm not sure that the progression of your quotes are right, so I'm
>not sure if you're responding to what I posted.
>
>However, thank you for confirming what I believed about British
>Christmas Cakes. I had forgotten about the apricot jam. While I do bake
>fruitcakes, I don't cover them in marzipan, but if I'm prsenting the
>whole cake I do glaze them with apricot jam.
>
>Thanks,
>Wayne

Hello again Wayne and all other interested posters: A true Christmas
cake is supposed to have warmed apricot jam (or a thick sugar syrup)
brushed on top and then the almond paste spread on that, and topped
with Royal icing (whatever that is!!!). Then there is the Christmas
cake wrap - a sort of kitchy Christmassy-type of thing with fringes
top and bottom ()about 3-4 inches high) and pinned (or taped) in
place.

It is a big occasion, presenting the cake all done up like this!
Some people even put candles on it (though why I can never fathom!).

For me, I buy the so-called royal icing from a local cake shop and
then festoon the top with all sorts of Christmas trivia - a tree, a
Santa, a few holly leaves - you know ... the very very British thing!

On other occasions if I am making a cake that is not designed to be
iced but to have a topping encrusted with nuts, I use brazil, almond,
pecan and hazelnuts and then glaze the top with a sugary syrup to hold
the nuts in place.

Have you tried all this alcohol stuff with summer berry fruits (which
we are enjoying right now - eat your hearts out!)? I macerate fresh
raspberries in cassis - and strawberries in the same or kirsch.

I find the little grandchildren eat up EVERYTHING when the berries are
done like this. Now there has to be some sort of message there!



Daisy.

Don't assume malice for what stupidity can explain.

"Diane Epps" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in message
> . ..
> > "Charles Gifford" > wrote in
> > hlink.net:
> >
> > >
> > > "Daisy" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > >> I read a newspaper article yesterday written by a non-USA person, who
> > >> had experienced life in a Brtitsh-style culture for a while. The
> > >> article was all about fruit cakes.
> > >
> > > One thing I've noticed in this thread is that, while the thread is
> > > titled "Christmas Cake", the conversation so far is about fruit cake,
> > > plum cake or similar. For me, a Christmas Cake is similar to a fruit
> > > cake, but has layer(s) of marzipan and nice crunchy icing over that.
> > >
>
> I am British, and you are quite right that the Christmas cake is fed with
> brandy/rum for a week or two and then it is painted with warmed and sieved
> apricot jam [jelly] which helps the marzipan to stick the cake is then
fully
> covered in Marzipan and finally iced with Royal icing and either made to
> look like a snow scene if you are not so good at icing or it is flat iced
> and them elaborately decorated with piped icing rather like a wedding
cake.
> Diane

Yep. That is the stuff! I've had the pleasure to enjoy it at Christmas time
in both England and Ireland. I have tried making it myself but have decided
I have no talent for it. <sigh>

Charlie

"Rhonda Anderson" > wrote in message
.5...
>
> Here, Christmas cake is a dark fruit cake made at Christmas time <g>. It
> may sometimes be iced with marzipan and royal icing, but not necessarily.
I
> never ice mine. I think I've mostly only eaten fruitcake with marzipan and
> royal icing when it's wedding cake. That's a traditional wedding cake
here,
> and what I had at my wedding, although nowadays people often have
different
> cakes.
>
> Rhonda Anderson
> Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

Hmmmm. If I ever get to Australia I'll have to try to be invited to a
wedding! I love this kind of cake.

Charlie

Charles Gifford wrote:
>
> "Rhonda Anderson" > wrote in message
> .5...
> >
> > Here, Christmas cake is a dark fruit cake made at Christmas time <g>. It
> > may sometimes be iced with marzipan and royal icing, but not necessarily.
> I
> > never ice mine. I think I've mostly only eaten fruitcake with marzipan and
> > royal icing when it's wedding cake. That's a traditional wedding cake
> here,
> > and what I had at my wedding, although nowadays people often have
> different
> > cakes.
> >
> > Rhonda Anderson
> > Cranebrook, NSW, Australia
>
> Hmmmm. If I ever get to Australia I'll have to try to be invited to a
> wedding! I love this kind of cake.
>
> Charlie

LOL common in England as well. However, you don't need to be invited to
a UK wedding; the cakes are sold in the supermarkets and bakeries all
year. They are common celebration cakes along with the lighter ones
Americans are used to.

Daisy > wrote in
:

> Hello again Wayne and all other interested posters: A true Christmas
> cake is supposed to have warmed apricot jam (or a thick sugar syrup)
> brushed on top and then the almond paste spread on that, and topped
> with Royal icing (whatever that is!!!). Then there is the Christmas
> cake wrap - a sort of kitchy Christmassy-type of thing with fringes
> top and bottom ()about 3-4 inches high) and pinned (or taped) in
> place.

Sounds very festive!

> It is a big occasion, presenting the cake all done up like this!
> Some people even put candles on it (though why I can never fathom!).
>
> For me, I buy the so-called royal icing from a local cake shop and
> then festoon the top with all sorts of Christmas trivia - a tree, a
> Santa, a few holly leaves - you know ... the very very British thing!

I bet that's really pretty.

> On other occasions if I am making a cake that is not designed to be
> iced but to have a topping encrusted with nuts, I use brazil, almond,
> pecan and hazelnuts and then glaze the top with a sugary syrup to hold
> the nuts in place.

That's what I usually do.

> Have you tried all this alcohol stuff with summer berry fruits (which
> we are enjoying right now - eat your hearts out!)? I macerate fresh
> raspberries in cassis - and strawberries in the same or kirsch.

No, but I will now when our weather warms. I live in the desert, so
temperatures are definitely warm enough in Spring here.

> I find the little grandchildren eat up EVERYTHING when the berries are
> done like this. Now there has to be some sort of message there!

Hmmmm... <G>

Wayne

>
>
> Daisy.
>
> Don't assume malice for what stupidity can explain.
>

The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've never been able to
understand. It's one of those Christmas treats that we eagerly anticipated
for weeks before the big day. Even after gorging ourselves on roast goose
with chestnut stuffing and bread sauce, Brussels sprouts, roast parsnips and
potatoes, etc. followed by Christmas pudding with brandy butter, we looked
forward to sherry trifle, mincepies and the crowning glory, the Christmas
cake. It was mixed and baked many weeks ahead of the holiday and attended
frequently with lovingly dispensed shots of brandy. It was a harbinger of
what was to be. Every time it was unwrapped, it was a reminder that
Christmas was closer. A week or two before the holiday it would receive
it's crown of golden marzipan paste and a coating of royal icing. A few
dragees and the odd decoration and girded with a seasonal wrap it was set to
be the centrepiece of the Christmas table. Smell pieces were served and
savoured by all.

As I said, I don't understand why Americans wouldn't like it. Maybe it's an
anti-Brit thing. It's full of sugar and carbohydrate and that should be
attractive!

Maybe there's not enough fat! Perhaps if it was battered and deep-fried it
would gain acceptance (memo to McDs in Scotland: add to Mars bar menu).

Or could it be the 'Royal' icing (a reminder of the colonial days)? Maybe
Mel Gibson mentioned it in 'Braveheart'.

Perhaps the association with wedding cake, given the 50% divorce rate, has
something to do with it but I think they have comparable divorce stats in UK
and I think they still like the cake.

Who knows? Americans are such an odd bunch!

Robin

"jacqui{JB}" > wrote in message
...
> "Daisy" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > I read a newspaper article yesterday written
> > by a non-USA person, who had experienced
> > life in a Brtitsh-style culture for a while. The
> > article was all about fruit cakes.
> >
> > Apparently fruit cakes (the genuine version please
> > people LOL) are virtually unknown in the USA.
> > I didn't know that.
>
> I think the writer of the article didn't do his homework. Fruitcakes
> of various kinds, including the traditional British-style cake, are
> widely known, if often reviled, in the US.
>
> -j
>
>
>

"Robin Cowdrey" > wrote in message
news:Tpc3c.133499$A12.78065@edtnps84...
> The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've never been able
to
> understand.

Hi Robin! Not all Americans revile fruitcake. It is much enjoyed by some of
us. Fruit cake is a seasonal item in the U.S. It is eaten throughout the
season. A proper British Christmas Cake is practically unknown here. Royal
icing is very rare and marzipan seems to be an exotic item. Christmas Cake
is a wonderful thing. I've eaten it with relish in past Christmases in
England and Ireland.

Charlie

"Charles Gifford" > wrote in
hlink.net:

>
> "Robin Cowdrey" > wrote in message
> news:Tpc3c.133499$A12.78065@edtnps84...
>> The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've never been
>> able
> to
>> understand.
>
> Hi Robin! Not all Americans revile fruitcake. It is much enjoyed by
> some of us. Fruit cake is a seasonal item in the U.S. It is eaten
> throughout the season. A proper British Christmas Cake is practically
> unknown here. Royal icing is very rare and marzipan seems to be an
> exotic item. Christmas Cake is a wonderful thing. I've eaten it with
> relish in past Christmases in England and Ireland.
>
> Charlie
>
>
>

Canada was a former colony of Britian, so we are fully aware of a Proper
British Christmas Cake. WE revile them too. I think it has something to do
with the way they taste or possibly their texture.

--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food
and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.

Charles Gifford wrote:

> "Robin Cowdrey" > wrote in message
> news:Tpc3c.133499$A12.78065@edtnps84...
>
>>The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've never been able
>
> to
>
>>understand.
>
>
> Hi Robin! Not all Americans revile fruitcake. It is much enjoyed by some of
> us. Fruit cake is a seasonal item in the U.S. It is eaten throughout the
> season. A proper British Christmas Cake is practically unknown here. Royal
> icing is very rare and marzipan seems to be an exotic item. Christmas Cake
> is a wonderful thing. I've eaten it with relish in past Christmases in
> England and Ireland.
>
> Charlie
>
>


With relish? Hmmm... I haven't tried that combination yet.

Best regards, ;-)
Bob

Been lurking a while, but had to add not all Americans dislike fruit cake.
I did a Christmas cake recipe of mine for my son's Christening last August.
One of his Godparents is my American friend and she loved it. This was her
first trip to England and she tried the cake just to be polite but then
couldn't praise it enough )

--
Jules

I want to be the best me possible
"Robin Cowdrey" > wrote in message
news:Tpc3c.133499$A12.78065@edtnps84...
> The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've never been able
to
> understand. It's one of those Christmas treats that we eagerly
anticipated
> for weeks before the big day. Even after gorging ourselves on roast goose
> with chestnut stuffing and bread sauce, Brussels sprouts, roast parsnips
and
> potatoes, etc. followed by Christmas pudding with brandy butter, we looked
> forward to sherry trifle, mincepies and the crowning glory, the Christmas
> cake. It was mixed and baked many weeks ahead of the holiday and attended
> frequently with lovingly dispensed shots of brandy. It was a harbinger of
> what was to be. Every time it was unwrapped, it was a reminder that
> Christmas was closer. A week or two before the holiday it would receive
> it's crown of golden marzipan paste and a coating of royal icing. A few
> dragees and the odd decoration and girded with a seasonal wrap it was set
to
> be the centrepiece of the Christmas table. Smell pieces were served and
> savoured by all.
>
> As I said, I don't understand why Americans wouldn't like it. Maybe it's
an
> anti-Brit thing. It's full of sugar and carbohydrate and that should be
> attractive!
>
> Maybe there's not enough fat! Perhaps if it was battered and deep-fried
it
> would gain acceptance (memo to McDs in Scotland: add to Mars bar menu).
>
> Or could it be the 'Royal' icing (a reminder of the colonial days)? Maybe
> Mel Gibson mentioned it in 'Braveheart'.
>
> Perhaps the association with wedding cake, given the 50% divorce rate, has
> something to do with it but I think they have comparable divorce stats in
UK
> and I think they still like the cake.
>
> Who knows? Americans are such an odd bunch!
>
> Robin

Robin Cowdrey wrote:
>
> The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've never been able to
> understand.

You'll get into trouble every time by lumping us together. Lots of
us Americans like fruitcake.

> A week or two before the holiday it would receive
> it's crown of golden marzipan paste and a coating of royal icing.

It's a quirk of mine that I dislike marzipan and I really don't see
the need for royal icing on it. Gilding the lily and all that.


> Or could it be the 'Royal' icing (a reminder of the colonial days)? Maybe
> Mel Gibson mentioned it in 'Braveheart'.

Well, if you saw the actual tonnage of Royal icing used to decorate
gingerbread houses here, you would know you were off the mark.

> Perhaps the association with wedding cake, given the 50% divorce rate, has
> something to do with it but I think they have comparable divorce stats in UK
> and I think they still like the cake.
>
> Who knows? Americans are such an odd bunch!

We are if you keep reaching such strange conclusions about us.

nancy (why don't you have dentists?) (laugh)

"Charles Gifford" > wrote in
hlink.net:

>
> "Robin Cowdrey" > wrote in message
> news:Tpc3c.133499$A12.78065@edtnps84...
>> The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've never been
>> able
> to
>> understand.
>
> Hi Robin! Not all Americans revile fruitcake. It is much enjoyed by
> some of us. Fruit cake is a seasonal item in the U.S. It is eaten
> throughout the season. A proper British Christmas Cake is practically
> unknown here. Royal icing is very rare and marzipan seems to be an
> exotic item. Christmas Cake is a wonderful thing. I've eaten it with
> relish in past Christmases in England and Ireland.
>
> Charlie
>
>

I absolutely love Christmas Cake/fruitcake. I bake about 35 pounds of it
every September. There's never a crumb left by the following summer.

Somehow I can't imagine eating it with Relish though, Charlie. <G>

Wayne

"Nancy Young" > wrote in message
...
> Robin Cowdrey wrote:
> >
> > The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've never been able
to
> > understand.
>
> You'll get into trouble every time by lumping us together. Lots of
> us Americans like fruitcake.
>
> > A week or two before the holiday it would receive
> > it's crown of golden marzipan paste and a coating of royal icing.
>
> It's a quirk of mine that I dislike marzipan and I really don't see
> the need for royal icing on it. Gilding the lily and all that.

But it cannot be Christmas Cake without marzipan and royal icing. Without
these elements it would just be a variety of fruitcake.

Charlie

Charles Gifford wrote:
>
> "Nancy Young" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Robin Cowdrey wrote:
> > >
> > > The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've never been able
> to
> > > understand.
> >
> > You'll get into trouble every time by lumping us together. Lots of
> > us Americans like fruitcake.
> >
> > > A week or two before the holiday it would receive
> > > it's crown of golden marzipan paste and a coating of royal icing.
> >
> > It's a quirk of mine that I dislike marzipan and I really don't see
> > the need for royal icing on it. Gilding the lily and all that.
>
> But it cannot be Christmas Cake without marzipan and royal icing. Without
> these elements it would just be a variety of fruitcake.

But isn't that what we are collectively being accused of hating?
Fruitcake? That's what Robin said.

nancy

Nancy Young > wrote in
:

> Charles Gifford wrote:
>>
>> "Nancy Young" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > Robin Cowdrey wrote:
>> > >
>> > > The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've never
>> > > been able
>> to
>> > > understand.
>> >
>> > You'll get into trouble every time by lumping us together. Lots of
>> > us Americans like fruitcake.
>> >
>> > > A week or two before the holiday it would receive
>> > > it's crown of golden marzipan paste and a coating of royal icing.
>> >
>> > It's a quirk of mine that I dislike marzipan and I really don't see
>> > the need for royal icing on it. Gilding the lily and all that.
>>
>> But it cannot be Christmas Cake without marzipan and royal icing.
>> Without these elements it would just be a variety of fruitcake.
>
> But isn't that what we are collectively being accused of hating?
> Fruitcake? That's what Robin said.
>
> nancy
>

By collectively do you mean like a co-op? Where do I sign up?

--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food
and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.

"Nancy Young" > wrote in message
...
> Charles Gifford wrote:
> >
> > But it cannot be Christmas Cake without marzipan and royal icing.
Without
> > these elements it would just be a variety of fruitcake.
>
> But isn't that what we are collectively being accused of hating?
> Fruitcake? That's what Robin said.
>
> nancy

YahBut, we had expanded into Christmas Cakes as well. The king of
fruitcakes! <sounds of orgiastic delight>

Charlie