It's Fruitcake Day!

Yes, it's time to bake that traditional, fruity wonder -- the fruitcake! Now, I know there are many of you who don't like fruitcake. I think, like coffee, it's an acquired taste. Sometimes, it's the bitter pieces of candied peel that turn people off, so I leave it out of my recipe. Neither do I include anything with a very strong or overpowering flavor, such as candied ginger. A well made fruitcake is moist, buttery, and loaded with fruit and, to me, is one of the special traditions and rituals of Christmas. I've made a large enough recipe this year to make three cakes so I can gift one to my Mom and Dad.

Making fruitcake is hard work! There is the cutting up of fruit and nuts the night before, remembering to set out the butter to soften...the eggs to warm to room temperature. Once the batter has been assembled, I add it to the fruit rather than adding the fruit to the batter, and mix it with my clean, bare hands. I find that's the only way to make sure all those jewel-colored bits of fruit are incorporated into the mix.

I'll post a photo to accompany this post when the hand-wringing is over and the cakes have come out of the oven and cooled.

So, who else clings to this delicious tradition?

For those who are interested, check out these links at The Society for the Protection and Preservation of Fruitcake!