Fruit Cakes

For centuries our fruit cakes have been prepared with dried vine fruits, usually raisins, sultanas and currants and possibly candied cherries and citrus peel too. This is the traditional British fruit cake, either dark, rich and moist such as a Christmas Cake, or lighter in colour and texture, maybe decorated with a layer of toasted almonds as in a Dundee Cake. The expense of the ingredients and the time taken to prepare and bake such cakes have ensured that they have acquired the status of a luxury, reserved for special occasions such as a marriage, a christening or an anniversary. Part of the pleasure in eating a slice of rich fruit cake is that it is not an everyday event.