Fruit cake! The one holiday cake that many people seem to love to hate – Johnny Carson included. Love the cake or hate it, fruit cakes make the perfect seasonal gifts. And now that you can place a fruit cake order online, shopping for gifts has never been easier. Fruit cakes are fun, so here are some fun facts you may not know about fruit cake.
Fun Fact #4 Fruit Cakes Have a National Day
December 27 is National Fruitcake Day. Yes, in case you didn’t know, fruit cakes do have their own day when they are celebrated, enjoyed, and made fun of. If you have no idea what to gift anyone this holiday season, consider placing a fruit cake order online. Fruitcakes are, after all, a great holiday gift.
Fun Fact #3 What’s In the Cake?
The cake’s name kind of gives it away, to be honest, but there is more than just fruit in the cake. Fruits and nuts have to make up 50% of the cake. These dried fruits and nuts are pre-soaked in sugar and are the ones responsible for giving the cake heft. The sugar acts as a preservative, and that’s why fruitcakes don’t get moldy or go bad.
Fun Fact #2 You Can Keep Fruit Cakes for Many Years
How long can you keep a fruitcake? 1 year, 2 years? How about 130 years! Yes, that’s how long one family has kept a fruit cake as an heirloom. Why would people do that you may ask? Well, like a good wine, fruitcakes taste better with time. The taste is stronger and more poignant. Place a fruit cake order online at least six months before holiday season if you want a mature cake.
Fun Fact #1 The Cake is Sometimes Laden with Alcohol
The traditional recipe of the cake allows for alcohol (rum, spirits or brandy) to be added to the cake in a process known as maturing the cake. This process happens once a week and involves the baker pouring one or two tablespoons of alcohol over the cake. The alcohol also acts as a preservative and kills bacteria.
Whether you love the cake or not, you have to admit that this is a very interesting cake indeed.
