I admit that Christmas Fruit Cake, or Christmas Pudding as they call it in the United Kingdom, is an acquired taste. It’s a dessert I only discovered 10 years ago. To this day, no one in my family eats it with me, and my husband only had his first bite the other day.
The origins of this fruit cake dates back to medieval England, during the crusades when spices and all things exotic and foreign were being discovered. Spices and fruits were then very expensive, and only the rich could afford them.
During the Christmas festivities, these expensive ingredients would be mixed together to make a porridge. Eventually, it turned into a steamed cake, known as Christmas Pudding. It is traditionally made with alcohol and suet and enjoyed as part of Christmas dinner. Did I mention it also gets lit on fire?
However, I came upon an alcohol-free recipe that does not call for turning the cake into one massive birthday candle. Instead, the dried fruits are soaked in tea overnight, baked in the oven, and enjoyed with cheese. The Crumbs sisters, whom I took this recipe from, suggested soaking the fruits in black tea, but as I’m in the festive mood I chose an Orange & Cinnamon Spice tea from my cabinets instead.
The cake is also very fruity, so I used crushed almonds to add a crunch as well. The overall taste is wonderful; The flavor of the tea is very noticeable and fitting, the fruits are juicy and sweet, and the almonds are my favorite.