Christmas Traditions: Fruitcake
Fruitcake is a traditional dessert made with candied fruit, dried fruit, nuts and/or spices, and often is soaked in some sort of spirits. Did you know that the origin of fruitcake can be traced to ancient Egypt? While the Egyptians may not have celebrated Christmas, the food got its start amid the pyramids and was even dropped into tombs, as it was seen as a must-have food in the afterlife.
Over time, fruitcake was slowly attached to the Christmas tradition. It began as a ceremonial type of cake made to celebrate a specific harvest. England passed laws restricting the use of the cake to holidays, which slowly spread the concept in that direction.
Fruitcakes come in various forms in different countries, with differences to the recipe and ingredients. The most common American recipes contained a large number of nuts. Considered a healthy food due to the fruit and fiber content, fruitcake is actually good for you, as long as the sugar intake is taken into consideration, of course.