The world’s oldest cake was discovered in the tomb of a prominent Egyptian who lived around 2200 B.C. Most cakes if not all at this time were baked as offerings to the gods. However, once the prototype was invented, cakes evolved as different cultures added their own creative touches, ingredients and baking techniques. These led from cakes being baked as offerings to being baked for their sweet or savory taste and/or to celebrate significant occasions. The holiday season is one of those noteworthy times.
There are many different traditional desserts throughout the world. Below are five cakes often served during the holidays, not only in the cakes’ native countries, but now in the U.S. as well.
Irish Christmas Cake
Traditionally, Irish Christmas cake is moist, rich, heavily spiced, and full of dried fruits and nuts, and in many cases soaked with whiskey or brandy every so often until the cake is ready to be frosted or eaten. The dried fruit that goes into the cake batter is soaked in alcohol two weeks prior to baking the cake, which is six to eight weeks before the holiday season begins. Irish Christmas cakes are presented and served with no frosting, a marzipan icing, and/or with a white frosting top layer.
Italian Panettone
Panettone is popular all over Italy during the winter holidays. Many people consider it cake, although it is actually a sweet bread. Regardless, it is still a holiday favorite among both Italian and non-Italian Americans. Baked with raisins, other dried fruits, often almonds, candied lemon and orange citrus rinds, the dessert always has a rich and buttery flavor and a light and fluffy texture. Traditionally it can take up to 24 hours to make so there is no stigma, even in Italy, if a Panettone is purchased rather than baked at home.
German Stollen
Known in Germany as Weihnachtsstollen, Christstollen, or Winterbrot, German stollen is considered a cake because of its sweet flavor and thick coat of powdered sugar, and is often served as a dessert. However, it is in fact a baked, yeasted fruit bread containing dried fruits, candied citrus peels, nuts, and spices and sometimes marzipan filling in the center. German stollen is easily recognizable by its long loaf shape. Some historians think it was molded in the shape of a mining tunnel, which was a crucial industry in the area, while others think its shape has a religious connection to the baby Jesus being wrapped in a blanket.
Filipino Bibingka
Bibingka is a Filipino rice cake traditionally cooked over coals in a shallow banana leaf lined terracotta bowl. It is eaten throughout the year but especially during the Christmas/Holiday season. Traditionally, bibingkas are made with rice flour, but there are recipes that use other types of flour such as mochiko flour or cassava flour. The basic ingredients besides flour are butter, coconut milk and egg. Other ingredients can include sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and macapuno, which is a coconut cultivar. Some bibingkas are traditionally served with a duck egg, grated coconut or cheese.
Jewish Hanukkah cake
The name Jewish Hanukkah cake is a term used during the holidays for a dense and sweet apple cake filled with tart fruit and topped with cinnamon and sugar. This Jewish apple cake is traditionally made without dairy products and so is often enjoyed throughout the year. It is a popular dessert choice for Hanukkah because of the use of oil instead of butter. A central part of Hanukkah is the Miracle of the Oil when the Temple menorah stayed lit for eight days on a single day’s supply of oil. It is traditional during Hanukkah to eat fried and oily foods in remembrance of this miracle, making this cake an ideal dessert for the holiday.
There are plenty of recipes online for these traditional holiday cakes. Some of these cakes can be purchased. World Market, 101 Clay Street, Oakland, sells panettones, stollens and numerous Burt’s fruit cakes which are indistinguishable from traditional Irish Christmas cakes. Bibingka cakes are available at Valerio’s Tropical Bake shop, 1535 Landes Ave., Milpitas. Jewish Hanukkah cake can be hard to find locally but can be ordered online from Challah&Co.com or GoldBelly.com.
There are many different holiday traditions around the world. Enjoying a traditional holiday cake from another culture can literally spice up and sweeten your holiday season.
Daniel O’Donnell is the co-owner and operator of an organic landscape design/build company in Fremont. www.Chrysalis-Gardens.com
