Fruitcake’s extended family

Fruitcake has gotten a bad rap. What used to be a celebratory cake studded with dried fruit and nuts that was moist and flavorful turned into a caricature of itself, morphing into a products that was overly sweet yet somehow dry, with neon-colored bits that barely resemble anything in the fruit world. No wonder most fruitcakes end up in the trash bin.

It doesn’t have to be that way, says Tess Panzer of Yahoo! DIY.”Think quality dried fruit and crunchy nuts. Think of good brandy. Think toasted, warming spices. Revamp that glowing old loaf, and give it new, rustic depth of flavor and the TLC it deserves.”

You don’t have to stick with traditional fruitcake, either. Different regions have different takes on the holiday treat, Panzer notes. “German Stollen incorporates marzipan for a sweet and nutty flavor that also keeps the cake from drying out.” There’s also a traditional Italian favorite, panforte, which contains fruit, nuts, and spices but no eggs or leavener and only a little flour. This results in a dense, chewy and spicy treat. 

Christmas puddings also fall on the fruitcake spectrum, and if made properly, “soaked in brandy or sherry and sticky with beautiful dried figs and currants, can be to die for. ” Which fruitcake family member do you prefer? 

Photo of Panforte from Jamie Magazine