In Newfoundland, the Christmas fruitcake starts baking in November, because a proper one needs time — time to mellow, and time to soak up the dark rum that gives it its soul. The recipe came from the English tradition of rich, dense fruitcakes, but Newfoundlanders made it their own with a generous dose of Screech, wrapping the cooled cake in rum-soaked cloth and letting it ripen in the pantry until Christmas Eve. The ritual of slicing it, dark and studded with fruit and nuts, is as much a part of Christmas as the tree.
What makes it great is that deep, spiced, rum-soaked richness — a cake so dense and flavourful that a thin slice is all you need, though you’ll find yourself reaching for another. The fruit plumps up with rum, the molasses darkens the crumb, and the whole thing keeps for months, improving all the while. Serve it in thin slices with strong tea, and don’t be surprised if the tin is empty by New Year’s.
