Love it or joke about it, fruitcake is an unforgettable part of the holiday season. National Fruitcake Day, on December 27, celebrates the dense, rich cake packed with candied fruit, nuts and often soaked in spirits. It's a fitting day: just after Christmas, when many people have a fruitcake on hand, wondering what to do with it. A well-made fruitcake can actually be delicious, and its long history might surprise you.
History of National Fruitcake Day
Fruitcake has ancient roots. Ancient Romans made a cake called 'satura' from barley mash mixed with pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and raisins. In the Middle Ages, cooks added honey, spices and preserved fruits, creating cakes that were rich and long-lasting.
As sugar from colonies became cheaper in Europe from the 1500s onward, cooks discovered that soaking fruit in sugar preserved it, leading to an abundance of candied fruit. Fruitcakes became associated with weddings and Christmas in Britain, and still are today; a traditional British wedding cake is often a fruitcake.
Fruitcake's longevity is legendary. The sugar from candied fruit and the alcohol often brushed onto the cake act as preservatives, allowing it to keep for months, or even longer when properly wrapped and stored.
In the United States, mail-order fruitcakes became popular in the early 20th century. Fruitcake also became the subject of many jokes, including one from late-night television about there being only one fruitcake in the world, passed from family to family. Since the 1990s, the town of Manitou Springs, Colorado, has hosted a playful Great Fruitcake Toss in January.
Why National Fruitcake Day Matters
Fruitcake is one of the oldest continuous holiday traditions. It connects modern celebrations to centuries of baking history.
And it's worth a second chance. Homemade fruitcake with quality dried fruit, toasted nuts and good spices can be rich, moist and delicious.
How to Celebrate National Fruitcake Day
- Bake a better fruitcake: use quality dried fruits like apricots, cherries and figs instead of bright candied fruit.
- Feed it: brush the cake with brandy, rum or fruit juice over several weeks.
- Slice it thin: serve small slices with coffee or tea, or toast it with butter.
- Repurpose it: crumble fruitcake into trifle or ice cream.
- Join the fun: look up the Great Fruitcake Toss in Manitou Springs, Colorado.
Celebrating at Work, School and Home
At work, host a 'fruitcake redemption' tasting where colleagues bring different fruitcakes or fruit breads and vote on whether any changed their minds. In classrooms, fruitcake is a fun way to explore food preservation, discussing how sugar and alcohol prevent spoilage, and to trace a recipe through history from Rome to today. At home, make a small, modern fruitcake with your favorite dried fruits, or turn leftover fruitcake into a trifle with custard and whipped cream. Families can also enjoy the humor around fruitcake by hosting a mini 'fruitcake toss' in the backyard, using a loaf that's past its best, before settling in with a slice of a good one.
Fun Facts About National Fruitcake Day
- Ancient Romans made a fruit-and-nut cake called satura.
- Sugar and alcohol help fruitcake keep for months.
- Traditional British wedding cakes are often fruitcakes.
National Fruitcake Day FAQs
When is National Fruitcake Day?
National Fruitcake Day is December 27.
Why does fruitcake last so long?
Sugar in candied fruit and alcohol brushed onto the cake help preserve it.
Can you make fruitcake without alcohol?
Yes. Use fruit juice or tea to soak the fruit, and refrigerate it.
How long should fruitcake age?
Many bakers age it for several weeks, brushing it with spirits regularly.