A United Kingdom version of fruitcake.
Emma’s 2010 Christmas Cake by Brett Jordan, on Flickr
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Christmas cakes can vary from being as dense as an American fruitcake to being almost as soft as a panettone, but they are nearly always round, and they tend to have a mixture of candied fruits and nuts. It’s traditional to decorate a Christmas cake, either with a glaze or icing, and they’re frequently given seasonal adornments, too (although I do enjoy the example from Flickr at left, which is a bit simpler).
A recipe with similar proportions appeared with a list of tips in the December 6, 1963 edition of the Frederick (Maryland) Post:
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If you are looking for a new recipe for fruit cake and this one is just full of fruit and nuts.
White Fruit Cake
1-1/4 cups white sugar Cream butter–add sugar and cream together. Add eggs, flour and baking powder sifted together. Add other ingredients in order listed. Bake in slow oven, 2-3 hours. Makes about 5 pounds. Mrs. Thurston Mullendore
Fruit Cake Pointers Cool fruit cake in pans, then turn out. If baked in foilware pans that are part of a gift, leave as is and wrap in Christmas paper. Store fruit cakes in aluminum foil, or airtight container. Keep in cool place. Keep fruit cakes at least a week before eating: flavors will blend, become mellow. Chill before slicing–easier to cut thin perfect slices. Make fruit cakes three to four weeks ahead. They’ll be at their best and you’ll avoid the Christmas rush. |
From the box of L.R. from Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Christmas Cake No. 2
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 cup margarine
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2-1/4 cups sifted cake flour
1 cup (8 oz. container) candied fruit
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
candied pineapple slices
candied cherries
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Thoroughly blend softened cream cheese, margarine, sugar, and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after eahc addition. Gradually add 2 cups flour sifted with baking powder. Combine 1/4 cup flour with candied fruit and 1/2 cup chopped pecans; fold into batter.
Grease a ten inch tube pan; sprinkle with finely chopped nuts. Pour batter into pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until done. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Garnish with candied pineapple and cherries on top of a glaze made by blending 1 cup sifted confectioners sugar and 2 tablespoons light cream.
Yep. Christmas Cake no. 2 is so far superior to Christmas Cake No. 1
My mom had this in her recipe box. I’ve used it a few times and it is really good for Christmas cakes. It isn’t very crumbly, slices well, and has a good flavor. You can vary the fruit and nuts to suit yourself.