A very controversial Who-Knew Wednesday today on the Drive!
Johnny Carson said that “The worst gift is a fruitcake. There is only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other.”

Whatever your stance on the dessert is, we hope we can teach you a few fun things about it today on the Drive!

– According to Harper’s Index, the ratio of the density of the average fruitcake to the density of mahogany is 1:1.
– Fruitcake can age 25 years and still be eaten (and enjoyed), as long as it contains the proper preservatives and is stored in an airtight container
– Even fruitcake will get stale if you store it too long or if it is stored improperly.  Resurrect your fruitcake by steaming it which will bring back the flavor and the moisture.
– According to the New York Daily News article, in 2015, the fruitcake was the 6th most likely gift to be regifted at Christmas time.

“Ah, the dreaded fruitcake. Someone’s bound to — eventually — eat it.
Often ridiculed, the fruitcake is a dietary holiday staple in many homes.
Still, once it is received, the fruitcake may sometimes be given away as a gift.
Pro tip: an expert regifter knows to never give away stale or expired food. Make sure the fruitcake is given away prior its sell-by date.”

-A pineapple fruitcake was brought along on the Apollo 11 space mission. The fruitcake is currently on display at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., because, according to the museum’s website, “As it was not consumed during the mission it was returned to earth…”
– The town of Manitou Springs, Colorado, has become known for taking January 3rd particularly seriously (days after the end of ‘Fruitcake Month’) since it commenced its annual “Great Fruitcake Toss” in 1996.

Fruitcake? Only a thing in America? Nope. So many other countries also participate in this controversial dessert tradition!
~ In Australia, fruit cake is consumed throughout the year. Bulgaria and India too.
~ Canada sees the fruitcake around Christmas time. There is rarely icing on the cake and alcohol is not commonly put in cakes that are sold. The cakes also tend to be void of any decorations and are shaped like a small loaf of bread.
~ In France, it’s just called ‘cake’.
~ The German tradition is called Stollen, and it’s loaf-shaped and often powdered with icing sugar on the outside. It is usually made with yeast, butter, water, and flour, with the addition of citrus zest, candied citrus peel, raisins, and almonds.
~ In Ireland, a type of fruitcake called barmbrack is eaten at Halloween. The cake contains different objects such as a ring or small coin, each signifying a different fortune for the person who finds it.

And is it the Afternoon Drive without a recipe or two? Ha! No!
You’re bound to find a fruitcake variation you like out of these.

Alton Brown’s Recipe
Here’s some Fruitcake Cookies
Fruitcake Brownie Drops?! Sign me up.
Fruitcake Biscotti because why not?
A Parfait of Fruitcake
How about a Fruitcake Cheese Loaf?
Searching for something savory? Fruitcake-Stuffed Pork Medallions. Yes.
Here’s Alton Brown’s ‘Good Eats’ episode on Fruitcake.
Fruitcake STUFFING. AH.

Thanks for listening!
-Lilly