# Why is Fruitcake So Maligned?



## RadishRose

I like fruitcake alot. I hear friends don't give friends fruitcake. Well, they can give it all to me.

What's so bad about it?


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## Mrs. Robinson

Cuz it`s icky??

LOL-J/K. I don`t think I`ve ever even tried it. Kind of like the earlier post about mincemeat.

You do realize that there is only a single fruitcake in this world,right? It just gets passed from person,to person,to person....

I`m so bad....


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## Falcon

Well, I  like it; but the blonde kind with lots of fruit and nuts in it.


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## RadishRose

LOL, Mrs. Robinson.

Falcon, thats how my aunt made it.. blonde, with lots of whiskey in it.


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## GeorgiaXplant

I was thinking about this very thing just the other day and wondering that, too. Gosh, until my kids grew up and left home (maybe 25-30 years ago?), I always made fruitcake at the end of October (because that's when my mother and grandmothers made it!) wrapped it in cheesecloth soaked in brandy and stored until Christmas so it could "ripen". I liked fruitcake. My kids liked fruitcake. Nobody I knew gave fruitcake as gifts because it was too darned expensive to make. We kept fruitcake for ourselves!

And Mrs. R, I wouldn't give you a nickel for mincemeat pie, but mincemeat cookies? To die for!


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## Ameriscot

It's horrible. Far too much fruit in it.


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## jujube

I was joking the other day and said that there has only been one fruitcake and it has been passed down for thousands and thousands of years and that there is an Egyptian hieroglyphic showing priests trying to put a fruitcake in a sarcophagus and the mummy fighting them off with a staff.   And then yesterday, I read that fruitcakes were actually made in ancient Egypt and were a popular item to put into tombs for the hereafter.  Hey, I'm smarter than I thought I was......


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## AprilT

Only time I'll touch cake which features fruit is when there whipped cream involved such as strawberry shortcake, well also Ice cream and strawberry and bananas.

I'll never forget the time I was visiting my dad and I was left in the room a few minutes too long and though I probably was told not to snack there was cake sitting there tempting and daring me to eat it.  Of course I took a piece of that cake and I spit it almost as fast as I put it in my mouth; it was fruitcake.  I'll never forget that first taste and I've tried to consume it as an adult, just can't acquire a taste for it, I find it dreadful and like some can't figure out why some find it dreadful, I always marvel when I hear someone say they actually like it.  Those people are a curious few to me.  Really, I'm not kidding, but then I feel that the same when I see someone likes to eat beef tartare or beef brains. But who am I to blink at anyone, I like eating pork rinds on occasion.  

Anyway, my dad and his sisters, my aunts, seemed to like it, his sisters seemed to have it around their homes as well and offered it up, they sure knew how to make sure the kids didn't sneak off with the snacks.


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## Lon

I love fruitcake and hot mince pie with melted cheddar cheese. Yum yum.


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## Mrs. Robinson

jujube said:


> I was joking the other day and said that there has only been one fruitcake and it has been passed down for thousands and thousands of years and that there is an Egyptian hieroglyphic showing priests trying to put a fruitcake in a sarcophagus and the mummy fighting them off with a staff.   And then yesterday, I read that fruitcakes were actually made in ancient Egypt and were a popular item to put into tombs for the hereafter.  Hey, I'm smarter than I thought I was......



See? I told ya....


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## AprilT

Mrs. Robinson said:


> See? I told ya....



Yep


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## SeaBreeze

I don't really like fruitcakes, but some are better than others.  They seem to be super sweet to me lately, and I like sweets.  Lots of jokes about people re-gifting their holiday fruitcakes.


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## oldman

Nope, none for me, but thanks anyway. I have often heard people called "fruit cakes." Anybody know how that got started?


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## rkunsaw

It's the worst possible way to serve fruit. As long as there are pies, cobblers, regular cakes, ice cream, fruit salad, or just a bowl of fruit, why would anyone waste good fruit by making a fruit cake?


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## Jackie22

I have had good fruitcake and bad, my SIL makes a 'Lemon Nut' cake every Christmas that is wonderful, it has pecans and white raisins and a whole bottle of lemon extract in it.


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## TabbyAnn

I love fruitcakes as well, and have tried different brands. There is a monastery near me where the monks make and sell fruitcakes, fudge and cheese and I plan to order a fruitcake from them and try it. 

However, I did see a bumper sticker recently that said "Friends Don't Give Friends Fruitcakes for Christmas". I laughed out loud but still may send some fruitcakes and fudge from the monastery to my friends.


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## SeaBreeze

Fun facts about fruitcake...http://mentalfloss.com/article/60595/15-fun-facts-about-fruitcake


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## AprilT

SeaBreeze said:


> Fun facts about fruitcake...http://mentalfloss.com/article/60595/15-fun-facts-about-fruitcake




I'm pretty certain it's #15.  LOL


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## SeaBreeze




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## SeaBreeze




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## Son_of_Perdition

My mother and sister made a fruit cake with mostly cake and a few gum drops, raisins and nuts.  That was my idea of fruit cake before getting married.  We went to visit my wife's ancient aunt one Christmas and she offered me a piece of fruit cake.  Nothing but candied horrible tasting fruit pressed into a loaf.  I took one bite, the aunt was focusing on me and I couldn't swallow it.  So for the next 45 minutes I held what was left in a napkin and that one inedible bite in my mouth and nodded when asked a question until we said our goodbye's.  I got out of sight and spit it out in the snow.  It's probably still in the same condition as it was 45 years ago.


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## GDAD

Soak the fruit overnite in rum Then mix ingredient & bake in oven.
Pour more rum on when cooled then seal for a couple of weeks.
One slice & your over the limit for driving.....YEH!!!!!!!


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## AZ Jim

I think the fruitcake jokes are like the polish jokes of years ago.  Someone started the ball rolling and kit took a life of it's own.


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## Cookie

I love good fruitcake too, especially one that's very dark and moist with lots of brandy in it and good with cheddar cheese. Haven't had a great one for years though.  Too bad they are expensive to buy and expensive to make, and all that dried fruit and maraschino cherries are loaded with preservatives which I don't think are too healthy.


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## Son_of_Perdition

Maybe it was because of our strict liquor laws in my home state, no nefarious liquid allowed without a state stamp, and it could only be sold from a state licensed liquor store.  The only fruitcakes that were legal were the dried up, nasty tasting, crunchy fruit kind.


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## oakapple

I didn't realise that in the US 
1. fruit cakes at Christmas are 'maligned'
2. that people gave them as gifts.
here, we usually make them ourselves [the best] but there are some good commercially made ones to buy.I make mine in October , then wrap up, and now and again 'feed' brandy into it. It's perfect by Christmas, and will keep [well wrapped] for a few months, however, ours is never there for long as the family eat it quickly.Yummy by itself or with a slice of any mild cheese [Yorkshire Wensleydale is the best, sorry for sounding like Wallace from Wallace and Gromit.]


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## oakapple

How can anybody NOT like them? Gasps in disbelief!


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## Vivjen

I couldn't understand it either, Oakapple; they have obviously never eaten ours!
i don't put any alcohol in mine; don't want any hidden; and Mum doesn't like it anyway....


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## Meanderer




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## Son_of_Perdition

Sarcasm Alert! - Not to be taken seriously! -


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## Vivjen

Not allowed to sell fish and chips in newspaper any more......and I never drink tea!
as for breakfasts.....who invented the 'greasy spoon'.....


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## Son_of_Perdition

Vivjen said:


> Not allowed to sell fish and chips in newspaper any more......and I never drink tea!
> as for breakfasts.....who invented the 'greasy spoon'.....


I'm sorry just looked up greasy spoon, it was the English.  I must get my facts straight.  You may have created it but it took us Americans to exploit it and make it what it is today.


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## Vivjen

The Oxford english dictionary says the term originated in England.....then spread to English-speaking countries....and it is the French that eat croissants....although I had two this morning!
i would invite you over; but the tunnels haven't met yet...unless you are an optical fibre..


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## Son_of_Perdition

Vivjen said:


> and it is the French that eat croissants....although I had two this morning!



But it took American ingenuity to cram the ready made dough into a cardboard can waiting for the moment of release when you bang it on the edge of you counter.  

You do realize I was joking?

Note to self - Don't enter into discussions about politics, religion and now world cuisine.


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## Vivjen

Yes...I did, of course...and my replies were not to be taken too seriously either; though you are of course welcome if the tunnel is ever built!


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## Vivjen

I agree about the American ingenuity; I tried those things in the cardboard tube once; it exploded on me!


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## Raven

My mother made both light and dark fruit cake with no alcohol in them and they were delicious.
I made them for years but don't do as much baking now and try to make healthier treats.
I still love fruit cake.


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## Josiah

RadishRose said:


> I like fruitcake alot. I hear friends don't give friends fruitcake. Well, they can give it all to me.
> 
> What's so bad about it?


When I was a kid A&P super markets were very popular and they sold a holiday fruit cake to die for. For me A&P fruit cakes came first and Santa Claus came second.


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## LogicsHere

I'm with you.  I enjoy a good fruitcake, but many are not unless you're willing to spend the big bucks like $30+ for one.


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## Georgia Lady

My Mother made what you call a Japanese Fruitcake.  It was white cake with a little fruit.  That is all I have ever eaten. The traditional fruitcakes are the worst. I have thrown out many given to me.


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## pumpkin

I love fruitcake and make one every Christmas for hubby and me.


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## pumpkin

I love fruitcake and make one every year in November and keep it soaked in rum till Christmas eve.


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## oakapple

Let's all go round Pumpkin's house en masse and try out her delicious cake with a cup of tea?


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## RadishRose

oakapple said:


> Let's all go round Pumpkin's house en masse and try out her delicious cake with a cup of tea?



Take me with you, Oakapple.


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## Susie

It's not "maligned" in Australia! 
My daughter bakes one or more every Christmas.
A friend I met travelling phoned 3 weeks ago. She had already made many fruit cakes for her large family gathering.
I still can't stand fruitcake after 43 years in Australia.
Thank goodness no fruitcake to be seen anywhere this Xmas on my trip of a lifetime.


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## Athos

Nothing is wrong with fruitcake   I really enjoy it.
I wish someone would give me one!

Many years ago some comedians repeatedly mocked and made fun
of fruitcake on television. Stupid jokes. Like airline food.
AFter that, people did not think so highly of it.
Nowadays and in many countries, there are so many other fine
bakery goods that fruitcake does not matter much.


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## RadishRose

Someone once told me he used chunks of it to fill up holes in his driveway!


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## Warrigal

Peasants. :aargh:

A traditional rich, matured fruit cake is the queen of celebratory cakes and even the humble boiled fruit cake makes an excellent addition to a cut lunch for many a worker and school kid.


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## RadishRose

Right on Warrigal! Delicious image.


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## debodun

It's one of those thing that you either LOVE it or HATE it. Personally, I like it very much if it's made properly and not that raisin bread they try to pass off as fruitcake commercially. My mom always used to make a few weeks before the holidays, the proceed to "season" it (every day she'd dribble some whiskey or other potable on it). Since her passing, a friend of mine makes me one every year. Pretty good, but can never compare to mom's.


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## Butterfly

Best use for a fruitcake is as a door stop.


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## NancyNGA

I like fruitcake as long as they leave the watermelon rinds out of the recipe.  Specially the green ones. :yuk:  I really like those made with just pineapple, cherries, and pecans.  Does that count as fruitcake?


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## Warrigal

NancyNGA said:


> I like fruitcake as long as they leave the watermelon rinds out of the recipe.  Specially the green ones. :yuk:  I really like those made with just pineapple, cherries, and pecans.  Does that count as fruitcake?



An American one perhaps. 

Watermelon rinds???? 
What's that all about?


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## Ina

Warri, watermelon can be pickeled or candied.


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## Meanderer

Our Son in-law made rum fruitcakes at Christmas, and ours is 3/4 gone....and going fast!  It is scrumptious!


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## hollydolly

I've never heard of water melon rinds in fruitcake either. 

I'm not keen on fruitcake  I have to admit but I can eat some as long as it has no glace cherries or candied peel in it...I hate those!


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## AZ Jim

I like fruitcake.  Johnny Carson once said "There's really only one fruitcake, everyone is just passing it around."


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## Meanderer

AZ Jim said:


> I like fruitcake.  Johnny Carson once said "There's really only one fruitcake, everyone is just passing it around."


I don't know....he had many of them on as guests!


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