November is almost over and there are quite a few households across the globe where the traditional Christmas fruit cake is already ready! Yes, in case you didn’t know the traditional cake that is consumed on X Mas Eve is actually baked a month in advance; and then stored in an airtight container. The cake is taken out once a week and polished with brandy, rum or sherry!
- Speaking of Christmas cake customs – ‘Stir Up’ – is when people actually bake the cake.
- ‘Feed the Cake’ – is the process of storing it and taking it out occasionally to polish it with liquor.
- In the olden days people consumed the traditional plum pudding stuffed with raisins. The idea was to have something to line the stomach once the ‘Vigil’ fast came to end.
- According to an old wives tale, “cakes and bread baked on Christmas Eve never catch mould!”
- The term fruit cake traces it’s origin back to the early 1400’s – It is a combination of the Latin word “fructus,” with the French word “frui” or “frug.”
- Did you know that the plum cake or fruit was banned in Continental Europe in the 1800’s. It was considered as ‘sinfully’ rich! Therefore the universal ban!
- Fruitcakes can be stored for long periods. The alcohol preservatives help to keep it as fresh as ever even if you consume one after months. In fact they are quite like wine; tend to get better with age!