Christmas Cake

Wayne Boatwright said:

"Diane Epps" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:Au7Kb.5199$K41.100@news-
binary.blueyonder.co.uk:

Quoted message said:

"Wayne Boatwright" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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"Charles Gifford" <[email hidden]> wrote in
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>
> "Daisy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
> "]news:[email hidden]...
>> I read a newspaper article yesterday written by a non-USA person, who had experienced life in
>> a Brtitsh-style culture for a while. The article was all about fruit cakes.
>
> One thing I've noticed in this thread is that, while the thread is titled "Christmas Cake",
> the conversation so far is about fruit cake, plum cake or similar. For me, a Christmas Cake is
> similar to a fruit cake, but has layer(s) of marzipan and nice crunchy icing over that.
>

I am British, and you are quite right that the Christmas cake is fed with brandy/rum for a week
or two and then it is painted with warmed and sieved apricot jam [jelly] which helps the marzipan
to stick the cake is then fully covered in Marzipan and finally iced with Royal icing and either
made to look like a snow scene if you are not so good at icing or it is flat iced and them
elaborately decorated with piped icing rather like a wedding cake. Diane

Diane, I'm not sure that the progression of your quotes are right, so I'm not sure if you're
responding to what I posted.

However, thank you for confirming what I believed about British Christmas Cakes. I had forgotten
about the apricot jam. While I do bake fruitcakes, I don't cover them in marzipan, but if I'm
prsenting the whole cake I do glaze them with apricot jam.

Thanks, Wayne

Hello again Wayne and all other interested posters: A true Christmas cake is supposed to have warmed
apricot jam (or a thick sugar syrup) brushed on top and then the almond paste spread on that, and
topped with Royal icing (whatever that is!!!). Then there is the Christmas cake wrap - a sort of
kitchy Christmassy-type of thing with fringes top and bottom ()about 3-4 inches high) and pinned (or
taped) in place.

It is a big occasion, presenting the cake all done up like this! Some people even put candles on it
(though why I can never fathom!).

For me, I buy the so-called royal icing from a local cake shop and then festoon the top with all
sorts of Christmas trivia - a tree, a Santa, a few holly leaves - you know ... the very very
British thing!

On other occasions if I am making a cake that is not designed to be iced but to have a topping
encrusted with nuts, I use brazil, almond, pecan and hazelnuts and then glaze the top with a sugary
syrup to hold the nuts in place.

Have you tried all this alcohol stuff with summer berry fruits (which we are enjoying right now
- eat your hearts out!)? I macerate fresh raspberries in cassis - and strawberries in the same
or kirsch.

I find the little grandchildren eat up EVERYTHING when the berries are done like this. Now there has
to be some sort of message there!

Daisy.

Don't assume malice for what stupidity can explain.

Charles Gifford said:

"Rhonda Anderson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

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Here, Christmas cake is a dark fruit cake made at Christmas time <g>. It may sometimes be iced
with marzipan and royal icing, but not necessarily.

I

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never ice mine. I think I've mostly only eaten fruitcake with marzipan and royal icing when it's
wedding cake. That's a traditional wedding cake

here,

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and what I had at my wedding, although nowadays people often have

different

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cakes.

Rhonda Anderson Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

Hmmmm. If I ever get to Australia I'll have to try to be invited to a wedding! I love this kind
of cake.

Charlie

LOL common in England as well. However, you don't need to be invited to a UK wedding; the cakes are
sold in the supermarkets and bakeries all year. They are common celebration cakes along with the
lighter ones Americans are used to.

Daisy <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Hello again Wayne and all other interested posters: A true Christmas cake is supposed to have
warmed apricot jam (or a thick sugar syrup) brushed on top and then the almond paste spread on
that, and topped with Royal icing (whatever that is!!!). Then there is the Christmas cake wrap - a
sort of kitchy Christmassy-type of thing with fringes top and bottom ()about 3-4 inches high) and
pinned (or taped) in place.

Sounds very festive!

Quoted message said:

It is a big occasion, presenting the cake all done up like this! Some people even put candles on
it (though why I can never fathom!).

For me, I buy the so-called royal icing from a local cake shop and then festoon the top with all
sorts of Christmas trivia - a tree, a Santa, a few holly leaves - you know ... the very very
British thing!

I bet that's really pretty.

Quoted message said:

On other occasions if I am making a cake that is not designed to be iced but to have a topping
encrusted with nuts, I use brazil, almond, pecan and hazelnuts and then glaze the top with a
sugary syrup to hold the nuts in place.

That's what I usually do.

Quoted message said:

Have you tried all this alcohol stuff with summer berry fruits (which we are enjoying right now
- eat your hearts out!)? I macerate fresh raspberries in cassis - and strawberries in the same
or kirsch.

No, but I will now when our weather warms. I live in the desert, so temperatures are definitely warm
enough in Spring here.

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I find the little grandchildren eat up EVERYTHING when the berries are done like this. Now there
has to be some sort of message there!

Hmmmm... <G>

Wayne

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Daisy.

Don't assume malice for what stupidity can explain.

The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've
never been able to understand. It's one of those Christmas
treats that we eagerly anticipated for weeks before the big
day. Even after gorging ourselves on roast goose with
chestnut stuffing and bread sauce, Brussels sprouts, roast
parsnips and potatoes, etc. followed by Christmas pudding
with brandy butter, we looked forward to sherry trifle,
mincepies and the crowning glory, the Christmas cake. It was
mixed and baked many weeks ahead of the holiday and attended
frequently with lovingly dispensed shots of brandy. It was a
harbinger of what was to be. Every time it was unwrapped, it
was a reminder that Christmas was closer. A week or two
before the holiday it would receive it's crown of golden
marzipan paste and a coating of royal icing. A few dragees
and the odd decoration and girded with a seasonal wrap it
was set to be the centrepiece of the Christmas table. Smell
pieces were served and savoured by all.

As I said, I don't understand why Americans wouldn't like
it. Maybe it's an anti-Brit thing. It's full of sugar and
carbohydrate and that should be attractive!

Maybe there's not enough fat! Perhaps if it was battered and
deep-fried it would gain acceptance (memo to McDs in
Scotland: add to Mars bar menu).

Or could it be the 'Royal' icing (a reminder of the colonial
days)? Maybe Mel Gibson mentioned it in 'Braveheart'.

Perhaps the association with wedding cake, given the 50%
divorce rate, has something to do with it but I think they
have comparable divorce stats in UK and I think they still
like the cake.

Who knows? Americans are such an odd bunch!

Robin

"jacqui{JB}" <[email hidden]> wrote in
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"Daisy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I read a newspaper article yesterday written by a non-
USA person, who had experienced life in a Brtitsh-style
culture for a while. The article was all about fruit
cakes.

Apparently fruit cakes (the genuine version please
people LOL) are virtually unknown in the USA. I didn't
know that.

I think the writer of the article didn't do his homework.
Fruitcakes of various kinds, including the traditional British-
style cake, are widely known, if often reviled, in the US.

-j

"Robin Cowdrey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:Tpc3c.133499$A12.78065@edtnps84...

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The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've
never been able

to

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understand.

Hi Robin! Not all Americans revile fruitcake. It is much
enjoyed by some of us. Fruit cake is a seasonal item in the
U.S. It is eaten throughout the season. A proper British
Christmas Cake is practically unknown here. Royal icing is
very rare and marzipan seems to be an exotic item. Christmas
Cake is a wonderful thing. I've eaten it with relish in past
Christmases in England and Ireland.

Charlie

Been lurking a while, but had to add not all Americans dislike fruit cake.
I did a Christmas cake recipe of mine for my son's Christening last August.
One of his Godparents is my American friend and she loved it. This was her
first trip to England and she tried the cake just to be polite but then
couldn't praise it enough :o)

--
Jules

I want to be the best me possible
"Robin Cowdrey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:Tpc3c.133499$A12.78065@edtnps84...

Quoted message said:

The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've never been able

to

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understand. It's one of those Christmas treats that we eagerly

anticipated

Quoted message said:

for weeks before the big day. Even after gorging ourselves on roast goose
with chestnut stuffing and bread sauce, Brussels sprouts, roast parsnips

and

Quoted message said:

potatoes, etc. followed by Christmas pudding with brandy butter, we looked
forward to sherry trifle, mincepies and the crowning glory, the Christmas
cake. It was mixed and baked many weeks ahead of the holiday and attended
frequently with lovingly dispensed shots of brandy. It was a harbinger of
what was to be. Every time it was unwrapped, it was a reminder that
Christmas was closer. A week or two before the holiday it would receive
it's crown of golden marzipan paste and a coating of royal icing. A few
dragees and the odd decoration and girded with a seasonal wrap it was set

to

Quoted message said:

be the centrepiece of the Christmas table. Smell pieces were served and
savoured by all.

As I said, I don't understand why Americans wouldn't like it. Maybe it's

an

Quoted message said:

anti-Brit thing. It's full of sugar and carbohydrate and that should be
attractive!

Maybe there's not enough fat! Perhaps if it was battered and deep-fried

it

Quoted message said:

would gain acceptance (memo to McDs in Scotland: add to Mars bar menu).

Or could it be the 'Royal' icing (a reminder of the colonial days)? Maybe
Mel Gibson mentioned it in 'Braveheart'.

Perhaps the association with wedding cake, given the 50% divorce rate, has
something to do with it but I think they have comparable divorce stats in

UK

Quoted message said:

and I think they still like the cake.

Who knows? Americans are such an odd bunch!

Robin

Robin Cowdrey said:

The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've
never been able to understand.

You'll get into trouble every time by lumping us together.
Lots of us Americans like fruitcake.

Quoted message said:

A week or two before the holiday it would receive it's
crown of golden marzipan paste and a coating of royal
icing.

It's a quirk of mine that I dislike marzipan and I really
don't see the need for royal icing on it. Gilding the lily
and all that.

Quoted message said:

Or could it be the 'Royal' icing (a reminder of the
colonial days)? Maybe Mel Gibson mentioned it in
'Braveheart'.

Well, if you saw the actual tonnage of Royal icing used to
decorate gingerbread houses here, you would know you were
off the mark.

Quoted message said:

Perhaps the association with wedding cake, given the 50%
divorce rate, has something to do with it but I think they
have comparable divorce stats in UK and I think they still
like the cake.

Who knows? Americans are such an odd bunch!

We are if you keep reaching such strange conclusions about
us.

nancy (why don't you have dentists?) (laugh)

"Charles Gifford" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

"Robin Cowdrey" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:Tpc3c.133499$A12.78065@edtnps84...

Quoted message said:

The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've
never been able

to

Quoted message said:

understand.

Hi Robin! Not all Americans revile fruitcake. It is much
enjoyed by some of us. Fruit cake is a seasonal item in
the U.S. It is eaten throughout the season. A proper
British Christmas Cake is practically unknown here. Royal
icing is very rare and marzipan seems to be an exotic
item. Christmas Cake is a wonderful thing. I've eaten it
with relish in past Christmases in England and Ireland.

Charlie

Canada was a former colony of Britian, so we are fully aware
of a Proper British Christmas Cake. WE revile them too. I
think it has something to do with the way they taste or
possibly their texture.

--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on
nothing but food and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.

Charles Gifford said:

"Robin Cowdrey" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:Tpc3c.133499$A12.78065@edtnps84...

Quoted message said:

The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've
never been able

to

Quoted message said:

understand.

Hi Robin! Not all Americans revile fruitcake. It is much
enjoyed by some of us. Fruit cake is a seasonal item in
the U.S. It is eaten throughout the season. A proper
British Christmas Cake is practically unknown here. Royal
icing is very rare and marzipan seems to be an exotic
item. Christmas Cake is a wonderful thing. I've eaten it
with relish in past Christmases in England and Ireland.

Charlie

With relish? Hmmm... I haven't tried that combination yet.

Best regards, ;-) Bob

"Charles Gifford" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

"Robin Cowdrey" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:Tpc3c.133499$A12.78065@edtnps84...

Quoted message said:

The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've
never been able

to

Quoted message said:

understand.

Hi Robin! Not all Americans revile fruitcake. It is much
enjoyed by some of us. Fruit cake is a seasonal item in
the U.S. It is eaten throughout the season. A proper
British Christmas Cake is practically unknown here. Royal
icing is very rare and marzipan seems to be an exotic
item. Christmas Cake is a wonderful thing. I've eaten it
with relish in past Christmases in England and Ireland.

Charlie

I absolutely love Christmas Cake/fruitcake. I bake about 35
pounds of it every September. There's never a crumb left by
the following summer.

Somehow I can't imagine eating it with Relish though,
Charlie. <G>

Wayne

"Nancy Young" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Robin Cowdrey said:

The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something I've
never been able

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

understand.

You'll get into trouble every time by lumping us together.
Lots of us Americans like fruitcake.

Quoted message said:

A week or two before the holiday it would receive
it's crown of golden marzipan paste and a coating of
royal icing.

It's a quirk of mine that I dislike marzipan and I really
don't see the need for royal icing on it. Gilding the lily
and all that.

But it cannot be Christmas Cake without marzipan and royal
icing. Without these elements it would just be a variety of
fruitcake.

Charlie

Charles Gifford said:

"Nancy Young" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Robin Cowdrey said:

The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something
I've never been able

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

understand.

You'll get into trouble every time by lumping us
together. Lots of us Americans like fruitcake.

Quoted message said:

A week or two before the holiday it would receive
it's crown of golden marzipan paste and a coating
of royal icing.

It's a quirk of mine that I dislike marzipan and I
really don't see the need for royal icing on it. Gilding
the lily and all that.

But it cannot be Christmas Cake without marzipan and royal
icing. Without these elements it would just be a variety
of fruitcake.

But isn't that what we are collectively being accused of
hating? Fruitcake? That's what Robin said.

nancy

Nancy Young <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Charles Gifford said:

"Nancy Young" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Robin Cowdrey wrote:
>
> The reviling of fruitcake by Americans is something
> I've never been able

to

Quoted message said:

> understand.

You'll get into trouble every time by lumping us
together. Lots of us Americans like fruitcake.

> A week or two before the holiday it would receive
> it's crown of golden marzipan paste and a coating
> of royal icing.

It's a quirk of mine that I dislike marzipan and I
really don't see the need for royal icing on it.
Gilding the lily and all that.

But it cannot be Christmas Cake without marzipan and
royal icing. Without these elements it would just be a
variety of fruitcake.

But isn't that what we are collectively being accused of
hating? Fruitcake? That's what Robin said.

nancy

By collectively do you mean like a co-op? Where do I sign
up?

--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on
nothing but food and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.

"Nancy Young" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Charles Gifford said:

But it cannot be Christmas Cake without marzipan and
royal icing.

Without

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

these elements it would just be a variety of fruitcake.

But isn't that what we are collectively being accused of
hating? Fruitcake? That's what Robin said.

nancy

YahBut, we had expanded into Christmas Cakes as well. The
king of fruitcakes! <sounds of orgiastic delight>

Charlie