Christmas cake

Christmas cakeis a type ofcake, oftenfruitcake,served atChristmastime in many countries.
Christmas cake is an English tradition that began as plumporridge.A traditional English Christmas cake is made with moistZante currants,sultanas(golden raisins) and raisins which have been soaked inbrandy,rum,whiskyorsherry. The cake may be covered in layers ofmarzipan, then icing and is usually decorated, often with plaid ribbon bands and Christmas models such as snowmen, fir trees orFather Christmas.
AScottishspeciality is the traditional Christmas cake, the "Whisky Dundee". As the name implies, the cake originated inDundee, and is made withScotch whisky. It is a light and crumbly cake, and light on fruit and candied peel; only currants, raisins, sultanas and cherries.There is also the Scottishblack bun, of a similar recipe using whisky and oftencaraway seeds, eaten onHogmanay.
Aside from candied cherries, some Christmas cake recipes call forangelicafor green colour.
Coins were also occasionally added to Christmas cakes, as well asChristmas puddings, as good lucktouch pieces. The usual choices were silver3d piece, orsixpences, sometimes wrapped in greaseproof paper packages.
InYorkshire, Christmas cake, as with other types of fruit cake, is usually not iced, and is eaten withWensleydale.
A cake that may also be served at Christmas time in the United Kingdom, in addition to the traditional Christmas cake, is the cake known as a "Yule Log, or chocolate log". This is aSwiss rollthat is coated in chocolate, resembling a log.
The Christmas cake largely displaced the previously popularTwelfth-night cakeduring theVictorian era.
In theUnited States, some people givefruitcakesas gifts at Christmas time, but they are not called Christmas cakes.InCanada, however, the same cake is instead called "Christmas cake," at least among the English-speaking majority.
InIndia, Christmas cakes are traditionally a fruit cake with many variants.Allahabadi cakeis famous for its rich taste and texture. Many smaller and more traditional Christian bakeries add alcohol, usually rum, in the cake.
InSri Lanka, Christmas cakes usetreacleinstead of cane sugar and include spices likenutmeg,cinnamon, andblack pepper.
InJapan, Christmas cake is traditionally eaten onChristmas Eve. The cake is simply asponge cake, frosted with whipped cream, often decorated with strawberries, and usually topped with Christmas chocolates or other seasonal fruits, and a Santa Claus decoration. Christmas cakes of this style were originally released by Fujiya, and was popularized when they began sales at Ginza, the central commercial district in Tokyo.This was during the time when Japan was going through massive waves of Westernization, particularly by the upper elite class. Members of the upper class, who had a strong penchant for Western cultures in general, enjoyed Western style desserts as a delicacy. Thus, being a Western style dessert, Christmas cakes were associated with the idea of Western modernity and social status.Therefore, it was a major hit when the Christmas cakes were commercialized and became more affordable to the general public. Different shapes and styles of Christmas cakes are released across the countless numbers of confectionery stores in the country; the cakes are no longer tied down to the traditional form of round white cakes with strawberries and Santa Claus on top.The Christmas cakes today are symbolized as a ritual of Christmas celebration; specifically, the act of sharing the cake with family or friends.
In thePhilippines, Christmas cakes are bright rich yellow pound cakes with macerated nuts or fruitcakes of the British fashion. Both are soaked in copious amounts of brandy or rum mixed with a simple syrup ofpalm sugarand water.  Traditionally,civetmusk is added, but rosewater or orange flower water is more common now, as civet musk has become very expensive. These liquor-laden cakes can usually stay fresh for many months provided they are handled properly. Another traditional Filipino Christmas cake is thecrema de fruta, which is asponge cakelayered with sweetcustardorwhipped cream,gelatinorgulaman(agar), and various preserved or fresh fruits, includingmangoes,pineapples,cherries, andstrawberries.
InCyprus,  Christmas cake is much like the UK and is served on Christmas Day. It is the first treat the locals serve to their guests.
InGermany,Stollen, a traditional German fruitcake, is popular. During the Christmas season, it's also calledWeihnachtsstollenorChriststollen.
InItaly,Panettone, a sweet bread with a distinct cupola shape, is traditionally eaten at Christmas. It contains raisins and candied citrus fruit and is prepared meticulously over several days.Pandorois a typicallyVeroneseproduct traditionally shaped like afrustumwith an eight-pointed star section. The "Pandolce Genovese" is also a famous Christmas cake. The name "Genovese" refers to its city of origin,Genoa.It is similar to a fruitcake, but not as tall and crumblier.
InFrance,Belgium,Switzerland,French Canada,Luxembourg, andLebanon, aBûche de noël(Yule log) is the traditional Christmas cake. They are light sponge cakes covered with a layer of butter cream flavoured with chocolate, coffee and Grand Marnier. Then it is rolled and covered with another layer of butter cream, which is streaked and sprinkled with caster sugar to simulate a log of wood covered with snow.
Yule Logs are often garnished with Christmas-themed sugar or plastic decorations. Its origin is the large wooden log called Yule Log that was burned in the hearth for several days at Christmas time from at least the Middle Ages throughout Europe and a French pastry chef to represent in the form of dessert in the 19th century. It contains no fruit.
InPortugalandBrazil,Bolo Rei, which translates to "King Cake" in English, is a traditional Portuguese and Brazilian Christmas cake. It is typically enjoyed during the Christmas season and is known for its rich and sweet flavor. The cake is round with a hole in the center, resembling a crown. It is often decorated with candied fruits, nuts, and powdered sugar.
The Bolo Rei is made with a rich dough that includes ingredients like eggs, sugar, butter, and sometimes port wine or brandy for flavor. It may also contain nuts, candied fruits, and raisins. The hole in the center is usually filled with a variety of dried fruits and nuts.
In Portugal, it is a popular tradition to include afava beanin the cake. Whoever finds the bean in their slice is considered to have good luck for the coming year. Additionally, a small trinket or figurine is sometimes hidden in the cake, and the person who finds it is said to be the king or queen of the celebration.
Bolo Rei is often enjoyed with family and friends during the Christmas season, and it holds cultural significance in Portuguese and Brazilian holiday traditions.
In Eastern Europe, such as Moldova and Romania, variations of Pasca and Cozonac are made for the Christmas and New Year Holiday. Other variations such as Kulich are made in Russia and Paska in Ukraine, and other Eastern European countries. They are enriched type of breads that, similar to the Panettone, may contain or not dry fruits and other desired fillings.
Christmas is a very busy secular holiday for patisseries in Japan, and Japanese Christmas cakes are created with a wide variety of flavours, ingredients and colours.
In Japan,womenhad traditionally been expected tomarryat a young age,and those who were unmarried after the age of 25 weremetaphoricallyreferred to as "(unsold) Christmas cakes"(クリスマスケーキ)in reference to items which are still unsold after the 25th.The term first became popular during the 1980sbut has since become less commonbecause Japanese women today can remain unmarried with somewhat less stigmatization.An equivalent term does, however, still exist that hearkens to the "unsold" nature of unmarried women,urenokori(売れ残り, 'unsold goods').