I didn't like
the fruitcake. Other people did, but I did not. It was not transcendent, as I expected. It tasted like cake heavily laden with raisins and a whiff of marzipan. It was, surprisingly enough given the amount of brandy I spooned over it, not boozy; I guess the alcohol got used up in the preservation.
Maybe I have a baseline dislike of fruitcake? Actually, I don't know because I've never really had it before. So I'm not saying this is a bad recipe, understand, just that maybe now I have tasted fruitcake and it's not a passionate love affair.
I still have half of the thing left. I don't want it to become the butt of bad jokes! Maybe I'll try it with ice cream next time, not just a cup of coffee.
As a Christmas treat, I much preferred
Grandma's Christmas bread. That will go into rotation at our house.
"Baseline dislike of fruitcake" -- I love your humor! By the way, I am a shameless fruitcake fan. It's almost congenital.
ReplyDeletehaha! But it does look really pretty, so that counts for something. I'm not a fruitcake fan, but I would be willing to bet, your cake was much better than that store bought stuff. And ice cream makes everything better.
ReplyDeleteI made that same fruitcake a few years ago (sans booze) and didn't like it at all. And it was expensive!
ReplyDeleteI made a more traditional fruitcake this year with candied fruit, and it was better, although I didn't really love it either. Luckily my husband didn't mind it so much.
The thing I like most about fruitcake is not the cake itself, it's the fact that it's available on a moment's notice (until it's gone, of course, which is about October in our house). When I am trying to cut back on sweets, and therefore not baking anything, fruitcake is there to save the day when I feel very deprived and want a small treat.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's good if company comes during the baking dry spell, too!
Your fruitcake sounds good, actually; I am used to the candied fruit kind.
I have never had fruitcake. Its too bad you weren't a fan of the one you crafted though. But, hey, at least some people were so it wasn't all for naught.
ReplyDeleteOh, and the Vico recipe came from a book called "Mennonite Cookbook" published by the Altona Women's Institute and Whitecap books.
I didn't know anyone still ate fruit cake. I thought the entire world hated it. Hmmm.. food for thought. Pun intended.
ReplyDeleteTiffany, you should read the comments on the first post I wrote (http://thriftathome.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-house-smells-like-fruitcake-and.html). There are fruitcake-lovers out there!
ReplyDeleteI've never been a fan of fruitcake, no matter whose recipe I've tried. However, I once knew someone who would give me a small fruitcake from a local bakery every year. So one year I poked holes in it with a fork and sprinkled it with rum. Then I put it away. Every so often, I sprinkled on a few more rum drops before putting it away again. I don't drink, but I did enjoy that fruitcake months later. Allowing it to mellow over time was crucial. If anyone else receives a fruitcake she dislikes, try this.
ReplyDeletefrom Philippa
Oh, alas! This is the only fruitcake I will eat!
ReplyDeleteIf you want to go ultra-trad, I will give you my grandma's recipe. But it's not for the faint of heart. I won't take a single bite of that candied nonsense, but at least you can say you gave it a fair shake (although I wouldn't, ha!!!)
I love reading about people's fruitcake issues! :D I finally got around to posting my recipe (developed by mother and I when I was a teenager) November 17. Maybe you'd like it.
ReplyDelete