With another six months in hand, it is time for some beaten eggs, flour, sugar, spice and everything nice!!! Every Christmas there are tonnes And tonnes of plum cakes that are baked and sold across the globe. Out of all the pastries, why plum cake?!

This traditional treat has an evolved history and it would surprise you to know that the initial forms was no way closer to what we enjoy today.

Back in the 16th century, a thick plum porridge was served on Christmas Eve to fill the stomach after a whole day of fasting. This was the time when fry fruits and spices weren’t found in abundance. People picked plum in the summer and carefully dried it for the winter feast. Having plums in the porridge made the ordinary, a little extraordinary.

By the 18th century, sugar, dried fruits and honey were more easily available and the porridge was filled with it. The porridge slowly became a pudding. The richer families who boasted with ovens, started baking this mixture and created what we know today as the “Christmas cake”. Alcohol and sugar served as a preservative and also helped in melding the spices that were added.

By the 19th century, ovens became a common household and everyone could afford to celebrate equally.

It is also said that initially the cake wasn’t served for Christmas but in the twelfth night. By the 19th century, there was a decline in the popularity of twelfth night and the cake was eaten on Christmas.

Today, we have various variants of the cake ranging from the fruit filled British cake with icings to the simple Chinese sponge cakes that are shared on Christmas.

Christmas cakes are significantly made of sugar, spice and well aged spirits symbolising US to enjoy the happy times, sail through the tough times with a long and healthy life.

So this year when you bite your cake, remember to share the good old history too.

Haan!!! It’s time to soak the fruits. Where’s my wine?!