What’s one food that lasts (nearly) as long as love? Why fruitcake, of course, which is why the confection plays the lead in a handful of enduring wedding traditions. Although fruitcake tends to get a bad rap today, up until the 1940s, it was the top-tier choice for a wedding dessert. Famed Charlestonian Emily Whaley even wrote about the dark fruitcake served at her December 1934 wedding in Mrs. Whaley’s Charleston Kitchen, although she candidly pointed out that white fruitcake—the most popular type in the South today—was actually her favorite.
The tradition began in the 16th century in Britain, when sugarcane became readily available from South American colonies and the West Indies. That early white fruitcake had the same fluffy consistency as sheet cake and was laden with fresh fruit. But dark fruitcake was made with molasses and was much more dense. So dense, in fact, that long-ago brides were forced to cut it with serrated cake saws often made of coin silver. Here in the Lowcountry, dark fruitcake was the mainstay among 17th-century Charles Towne settlers.
Because dark fruitcake doesn’t easily spoil and its candied fruit stands the test of time better than its fresh counterparts, the molasses-infused confection suited wedding traditions perfectly. You’ve likely heard of keeping the top tier of wedding cake and eating it on the first wedding anniversary? And how about the custom of single guests taking home a slice, placing it under their bed pillows, and dreaming of the person they would marry? Pre-freezer days, these traditions weren’t easily fulfilled by sweets other than dark fruitcakes, which could last up to a year as long as they were properly wrapped to keep insects out.
Richly flavored, especially when doused with brandy, rum, or whiskey, fruitcake is perfect for warming hearts at a wedding. Liquor not your thing? Try icing fruitcake with a basic sugar glaze or a rich Bavarian cream instead. You can even decorate the top with sprigs of holly, whole nuts, or berries to suit the season. And if you’re not ready to feature fruitcake front-and-center, try it as the top tier of your wedding cake or even as a groom’s cake.
For an authentic Lowcountry recipe, check out Hoppin’ John’s Lowcountry Cooking. Author John Martin Taylor says his is closest to the recipe that Charleston’s Scottish (who settled along the Cooper River) used back in colonial days. We bet that if you give this long-lost confection a fair shake (find the recipe at www.charlestonweddingsmag.com), you’ll likely discover you want to save more than a slice.
Hey Mon! We have some serious tropical vibes happenin’ on the blog today and seeing that the official start of summer is just a few weeks away, we thought it only fair to share it with you all cuties...
Wakey wakey, all you sleepyheads. It’s a beautiful day and us gals over here at The Wedding Row office are here to make sure you roll out on the right side of the bed. How now? Well, once you lay...
If Kelly and Jeff’s relationship beginning was to have a theme song, it would have to be “With a Little Help by My Friends” by The Beatles. The two were introduced by way of mutual friends (hint,...
Just one more workday separates us from our beloved weekend and in the spirit of such, we wanted to set the mood and get you all primed and ready for what is to come. So let’s drink happy thoughts...
Bridgitt and Hayden met and became fast friends during their sophomore year of college at Wake Forest University. More than five years later, the duo got engaged on its campus which is sweeter than...
Shelby and Len owe a big thank you, really and truly, to Len’s father. How now? After finishing a round of golf together at the Country Club of Charleston, Len’s dad noticed a pretty blonde across...
Likely you’ve heard the phrase before, “There are plenty of fish in the sea.” You’ve probably heard it from a consoling girlfriend, trying to bolster your confidence in the fact that you are sure to...
Talk about one cool and cultured couple. From New York City to St. Thomas, Amsterdam, and France, Sophia and Alex have seen it all. So, it comes as little surprise that their Big Day was pretty...
Want to save money but not skimp on style? Take a cue from Style Me Pretty, who introduces us to this North Carolina couple who oh-so fashionably eloped to Charleston's Legare Waring House
