It is impossible to pass the holidays without giving or receiving this Christmas staple. Called by any name, the fruitcake remains a hearty symbol of Christmas tradition. It has been said that the fruitcake lives forever, and there are a number of anecdotal stories of fruit cakes being passed on from one generation to the next. A story published in the New York Times, 1983, tells of a man who received the family fruitcake that had been baked in 1794 as a Christmas gift for George Washington, but the President sent it back with a note of refusal. Some families have a “traveling fruitcake” that is passed from one family member to another each season.
The history of the fruitcake dates back to medieval times when sweet breads were first developed. Cooks all over the Old World saved their most expensive ingredients, then baked them together for a special holiday treat. The basic ingredients include the finest wheat flour, white sugar, eggs, sweet butter, and exotic dried fruits.
In Germany, the fruitcake is known as Stollen, and is credited to the city of Dresden. A traditional Stollen is oblong in shape, with each end tapered and a ridge running down the middle. It contains raisins, currants, rum or brandy, candied peels and almonds. After it is baked, the Stollen is painted with butter and sprinkled with sugar and more candied fruits are added to the top.
A variation of the fruitcake is known as three kings cake (or King Cake in New Orleans) and is associated with Mardi Gras and Twelfth Night. Although similar in its ingredients to the traditional Christmas fruitcake, the Twelfth Night cake originated before Christian times and was developed from ancient Arab recipes. It contains a basic yeast-based brioche and fruits and nuts and a bean or token hidden inside the cake.