by Dana Leilehua Yuen
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I remember Geraldine starting the fruitcake shortly after my birthday, which was in August. She liked her fruitcake well-aged. Once my own daughter was born, I generally spent Christmas with Geraldine, so I did not bother doing my own holiday baking. Now, it is my turn to carry on the tradition.
A week or so after the fruitcakes were made and well-soaked in brandy, she would turn her attention to the springerle. These delightful little cookies were probably my very favorite Christmas treat, though I confess it would have been difficult to choose between them and my mother’s fruitcake.
Whiskey Cake was another treat for special occasions. It seems to be a descendant of a French version of fruitcake.
In addition to the baked goods, Geraldine would make dried fruits, candied citrus peels, and candied ginger. When I was a girl and living with her, she was part-owner of the New Orleans House, and would buy great lugs of eggs, fruits and ginger at wholesale, and then take a portion to make her holiday treats.
Plumb pudding would be started on Christmas Eve, for Christmas Dinner, and egg nogg made the morning or afternoon of.
Supplies for Holiday Baking
- Dried mixed fruits
- Dried figs
- Dried dates
- Pecans
- Walnuts
- Flour
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Marmalade