Getting into the (X)mas Fruitcake Mood #atozchallenge

This post is part of the A to Z Challenge. Each post this month will be associated with a letter of the alphabet with the theme ‘Food Memories‘.

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It’s not unusual for me to get into the Christmas mood by June every year. I’d start playing Christmas songs in the car, and make lists for presents and cards. Some years though, I dreaded Christmas and only got into the festive mood when I started my holiday baking.

One of my favourite things to make for Christmas is fruitcake. In my family, I’m the official Christmas fruitcake maker. A title I bestowed upon myself. For a long while though, I kept calling it Christmas pudding, I didn’t know that there was a difference between a Christmas fruitcake and a Christmas pudding since they seemed similar to me. This article set me straight.

There’s something about starting the process of making fruitcake which puts me in the holiday mood. One of the first steps in the recipe I’ve stuck to religiously for years, is to rehydrate the dried fruits. I like my fruitcake boozy so I tend to soak the dried fruits in more than the accepted amount of brandy.

There was one year, I made seven loafs of fruitcake which I gave to my colleagues at work. Some years, I insist on only making enough for the family. One year, my local liquor store asked if I’d make a batch for them to sell at their store for Christmas. They discovered I make fruitcakes when I bought the brandy I needed from them.

Writing this, I realise that I can’t wait for Christmas fruitcake making season to come around. Only several more weeks to go.

Which do you prefer – Christmas fruitcake or Christmas pudding?