Hating fruitcake is a tradition as old as fruitcake itself. I’ve been asked this question more than once: Why do we love to hate fruitcake?
We hate fruitcake, because it has become a tradition in America. People who have never tasted it have been raised to hate fruitcake by parents who also have not tried it. We all love traditions, and since they are so entrenched in our lives, no one wants to taste of fruitcake and possibly have a cherished Christmas belief crushed. (First, Santa, and now fruitcake. Where will it end?)
Of course, for those of us who have had the misfortune of actually trying fruitcake, we know the real reason is because fruitcake is as awful as we feared.
Interestingly enough, this tradition doesn’t translate well to other countries. I’ve been contacted by people from the UK and Australia who say their fruitcakes are “moist and delicious.” Some of these people state that “everyone here loves fruitcake,” a claim that is really hard to believe. Chocolate is a wonderful treat, yet there are people who don’t like it at all. It’s apparent these people are exaggerating for effect, and covering for the fact that their fruitcake isn’t as wonderful as they want everyone else to believe.
Before you fall prey to one of the pranksters who dare you to try a piece, remember this: you are what you eat.
It is indeed true that everyone in countries like New Zealand and Australia and I think the UK LOVE fruitcake and often it is homemade months in advance. I don’t know about the UK but fruitcake loved there too. They ship fruitcake overseas to ex-patriots.
Just as Americans are baffled as to why anyone would like fruitcake, people in these countries think it is truly bizarre that Americans hate fruitcake and make jokes about it. They think it is weird and the jokes are dull and don’t even make sense. It would be as if British, New Zealand and Australian people made jokes about how disgusting peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are. Americans would react with huh? They wouldn’t understand it. This is just for comparison to help you understand – most British, Australian and New Zealand people actually like PBJ.
I found your website while researching the bizarre aversion that Americans have around fruitcake and trying to understand why and where it came from.
I’m a dual Australian-US citizen. I’m sorry. I hate fruitcake. I love banana bread, zucchini bread, and fruit toast, but those red and green cubes put me off.
After living for a decade in Australia, I still couldn’t find a love. And I also found Aussies who didn’t like it. I don’t mind the cake, but on my plate you’ll find all that red and green junk left to the side and a lot of cream to moisten it.
I do think it’s a pretty cake, but just not a tasty one. But don’t get offended. Australians love their Vegemite. Many Brits love their Marmite, yet you don’t see that taking over the breakfasts of France and Germany. The great kim chee isn’t on everyone’s table, but there aren’t a lot of Koreans whining about it. It’s good to have culinary differences. It makes for great jokes.
So, I won’t apologise, really, for disliking fruitcake. You can’t control your tastebuds. It’s not a cultural mindset. Maybe because the percentage of Americans descending from Continental Europeans is greater than those from the UK, whereas Aussies are predominantly baby UKs. The little brother who still hates losing the Ashes.
Well I am from the UK and I don’t really know anyone who loves fruitcake there, althoug they might like it. It is something you might have at your gran’s with a cup of tea. But I must stress it is nothing like the US fruitcake. US fruitcake tastes like glue and has day-glo fruits stuck in it while UK fruitcake uses naturally dried fruits and in general higher quality ingredients. I have yet to find what americans find so inately hilarious about fruitcakes. Does anyone know?
There are only two appropriate responses to US fruitcake: to be horrified, or to laugh. It is much more therapeutic to laugh.