Fruitcake

Yes, I do like fruitcake.

I also like plum pudding with hard sauce….

And sticky toffee pudding and anything else with a rich cake that is fruit infused.

Mum gave me her Light Fruitcake and Dark Fruitcake recipes almost 35 years ago. I won’t throw those handwritten recipe cards out despite recopying them here.

They are fading, with stains of everything baking on them, and the corners are fraying and bent. Every year I hunt through the old tin box, cursing the mess of it, to find the card that I don’t really need anymore. (I could make it in my sleep)

The memories flood back when I find it and look down…..

Our kitchen was always bustling at Christmas. Mum worked full time but always managed to get the baking and cooking done for our holiday. When late November rolled around the smell of candied fruit, glace cherries, almond extract and rum filled the air. We’d each get our turn to stir the fruit-filled bowl and make a wish. Then brown paper bag lined loaf pans would disappear into the oven for hours!

It’s an English tradition I’ll continue. If only to smell the cake baking and see my Mum’s unique handwriting on the card.

If you choose to try it, make it mid to late November and brush it weekly with rum or brandy while storing it in a cool, dark spot. It adds a nostalgic slice to your cookie tray or a welcome snack in the afternoon with a hot cup of tea!

Enjoy and thanks Mum!