fir-tree / ulyana verbytska
what to look for when buying a fruitcake
bakers and distributors
Most of the bakeries we’ve chosen for this roundup have been baking fruitcakes for decades, and many of them have become famous for a particular style of fruitcake they make. When buying fruitcakes online, we believe it is better to buy from a trusted baker rather than an industrially produced fruitcake of unknown origin. food distributed through major companies such as williams sonoma or harry & david, were chosen for their high standards in food sourcing, storage and shipping.
size and portions
Since fruitcakes are often a gift you give to a family, you want to make sure you order the right size so everyone can taste it. most bakeries will give you an estimate of how many servings you can expect from your specific cake. fruitcakes are also typically sold by the pound, though they may occasionally be sold for the size of a round cake. Since fruitcakes are denser than many other cakes, you can assume that a 1-pound fruitcake is relatively small, not much larger than a pound of butter. serving sizes are typically smaller slices. General guidelines for serving sizes are as follows:
1-pound loaf for up to four people1.5-pound loaf for four to six people2-pound loaf for eight to ten people3 pound bread or cake serves 10 to 12 people4 pound cake serves at least 12 to 16 people
ingredients
Traditional fruitcakes are made with candied dried fruit and nuts, although the combination of fruit and nuts is almost entirely up to the baker. however, there are a few fruitcake essentials you can look forward to. you can reasonably expect to find candied cherries and walnuts in your fruitcake. occasionally walnuts are replaced with walnuts, and in some cases, you can find fruitcakes without walnuts. the rest of the candied and dried fruit changes from cake to cake, but often includes raisins, pineapple, and citrus. more adventurous inclusions are dates, currants, plums, peaches, and even papaya.
In addition, some fruitcakes include fruit soaked in alcohol, usually rum, brandy or sherry. Soaking the fruit in alcohol helps keep the cake moist and keeps the fruit longer. It also tastes great and makes the holiday cheer a little more lively. Of course, if you’re giving the fruitcake away, you’ll want to consider the alcohol content based on your audience.
shipping and delivery dates
Please note that when ordering a fruitcake, shipping and delivery dates will vary with each vendor. Most of the fruitcakes in this roundup ship nationwide, several days a week, although some bakeries have cut-off times for weekly shipments. Some of the larger operations ship every day during the business week and offer several different shipping speed options. it’s best to plan your delivery well in advance of when you think you’ll need it to ensure it arrives on time. you can rest easy knowing that most fruitcakes will keep for a long time.
the spruce eats / diana rattray
frequently asked questions
how long does fruitcake last?
Most fruitcakes have a shelf life of about a month. That said, most bakers will state how long each fruitcake can be stored for the best experience. If you know ahead of time that you’ll be enjoying the fruitcake for an extended period of time, it might be a good idea to portion it, wrap it tightly, and freeze or refrigerate a portion to extend shelf life.
what is the cider in the fruitcake?
Citron is a type of citrus that closely resembles a lemon, but is considered more fragrant and bitter before being sweetened. the added bitterness, low juice content, and thicker citrus zest make it much less popular for regular use, but lemon is great for preserving and sweetening. The tart nature of the citron is a great balance to the sweeter ingredients in the cake and helps bring out the flavors of the other fruits.
What alcohol is fruitcake usually soaked in?
Rum is the most popular liqueur for dipping a fruitcake and can also be used to soak the dried fruit that garnishes cakes. the most common type of rum used is dark and unspiced. but fruitcakes have also been known to be soaked with brandy or sherry and even bourbon from time to time. if you buy a fruitcake that has not been pre-soaked, you can easily soak it yourself by basting the fruitcake with the liquor of your choice and letting it soak for a few hours or a few days. the longer a fruitcake rests with the liqueur, the more the flavors will meld, though the potency will remain the same. You can also heat your liquor of choice to a boil to remove the alcohol and soak your fruitcake with it for a less potent but equally flavorful cake.
fir eats / cormack face
why trust the spruce eats?
jenny kellerhals has been a professional pastry chef for over a decade in new york city and loves trying every type of dessert she can find and discussing how they are made. Based in Queens, she spends most of her time thinking about what she just ate and what she’s going to eat next, with a generous helping of cheese in between.