Yes folks, it is two days away from Christmas Day which is why today our topic of inspiration here is Fruitcake: the good, the bad, and the misunderstood.

Like any other type of food or delicacy, Fruitcake has its good and bad varieties. Although sources indicate that Fruitcake has historical dates as far back as Ancient Egypt & Rome, it wasn’t until Victorian England in the 1800s that would dictate the Fruitcake that we have come to know it by today. The English had created fruitcake as early as the 1600s using dried fruit when they discovered that fruit could be preserved using sugar. Instantaneously becoming a hit in England, fruitcake began to emerge as a contender for any major celebration and holidays. So popular in fact that the Church had deemed it “sinfully rich” and made Fruitcake illegal. (literally).

Despite its reputation, fruitcake still represents an iconic food of the holiday season and still maintains its popularity in England to this day. -Proof you ask? Well, talk to Fiona Cairns, wedding cake designer for the English Royal Wedding. Kate Middleton and Prince William had enjoyed an eight tier wedding fruitcake during their celebration in April 2011. That’s right folks. According to the Los Angeles Times,  the Royal Wedding Cake was made with 17 individual fruitcakes with 12 of those cakes serving at just the base alone.

So next time some one offers a fruitcake, at least attempt to try a piece as it could easily be the most misunderstood confection of the baking world.