Fruitcakes Used to Be Against the Law: Perhaps They Should’ve Stayed That Way
In honor of National Fruitcake Day, celebrated December 27
It’s one of the most UNRECOGNIZED unofficial holidays of the year: National Fruitcake Day!
The mysteries of fruitcakes drips with sweetness, a dash of scandal, and a surprising dose of holiday disdain. Here’s the history behind these intriguing doorstops we all love to hate, from outlawed decadence to national toss-out festivities.
It’s a sticky, boozy, and surprisingly controversial evolution of the fruitcake — who knew?
Origins: The undead of the dessert world
It is believed the Ancient Egyptians packed the earliest fruitcakes with their mummies in case they got hungry in the afterlife.¹ Talk about a sweet eternity, or not, depending on how you view those little decadent hockey pucks they call cake.
Fruitcakes, for consumption, originated in Roman times to provide sustenance to soldiers during wartime.² They probably also doubled nicely as a weapon when necessary.
What allows a fruitcake to last for decades, with its longest known being over 100 years old, is its low moisture content, candied fruit, and the alcohol used to soak it.² That combo turns these bad boys into the vampires of the dessert world — they just won’t die.
As more people emigrated from Britain to America, the fruitcake became a popular staple because of its long-lasting shelf-life.
By the early 1900s, fruitcake delivery by the U.S. post office became the Amazon of its day.¹ Don’t tell Millennials and Gen Z but this was the original gig economy and side hustle.
Research says: The not-so-sweet truth
By the 1950s, it had become part of American culture and synonymous with gift-giving at Christmas. But did you know most people don’t even like this popular dessert?
In 1989, a survey found 75% of people hated getting them as gifts.³ More recent research found that 89% of Americans reported disliking fruitcake even if they never tried it.⁴
Despite being a holiday icon, most would rather receive a pair of socks than one of these dreaded delights.
Breaking the law: The scandalous fruitcake
Did you also know fruitcake was outlawed in Europe in the 1700s?² Apparently, the ingredients were a bit too risqué. People considered them too luxurious and morally questionable due to the social and economic constraints of the time.
But, shockingly, they found a way back onto the scene, flipping the bird to all the dessert rules. Some report over 2 million fruitcakes sold each year.¹ Yet, most people don’t even eat them.
WTF! I mean seriously: What the FRUITCAKE!?!
Why why why would they continue being gifted and passed down through generations?
Perhaps it’s a form of punishment and passive-aggressive behavior. Have you ever noticed the smug facial expression when someone hands over that dense but un-delectable treat while you thank them through gritted teeth and the biggest fake smile you can manage?
Kick that fruitcake to the curb
No one is completely sure when National Fruitcake Day was initially recognized as a holiday. But here is another fruitcake truth bomb: In 1995, Fruitcake Toss Day was created on January 3 for everyone to get rid of those inedible bricks to make room for the real leftover holiday treats.⁵
As we say goodbye to the once-outlawed dessert for another year, let’s celebrate its notorious resilience, like a hardy weed you can’t get rid of.
Here’s to National Fruitcake Day and, more importantly, to the day we get to hurl those doorstops of delights right into the trash. May your celebrations be filled with laughter, joy, and a distinct lack of this notoriously unwelcome dessert 🍰
Sources:
- Miller, J. (2021, December 24). The misunderstood fruitcake has a magnificent shelf life — and history. PBS WGVU TV.
- 7 Things You Didn’t Know About Fruitcake. (2023). Tastemade.
- Williams, G. (2015, December 21). Making Fun Of Fruitcake Is A Relatively New Tradition. Forbes Business — Food & Drink.
- Staff Report. (2017, December 27). It’s National Fruitcake Day. Chattanooga Times Free Press.
- News9Live Staff. (2022, December 27). National Fruitcake Day: History, Significance, Celebration, and All You Need to Know. News9Live.
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© 2023 Bette A. Ludwig: All rights reserved.
