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Much Ado About Christmas: Toys, Traditions & Fun
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The great dark vs. light fruitcake debate
Broadcast Date: Dec. 21, 1994
It's a question for the ages: should Christmas cake be dark or light? In this playful CBC Television debate, the merits and weaknesses of the two types of fruitcake are discussed in depth. Two veteran bakers, Mary Cook of Carleton Place, Ont. and Bessie Selby of Saint John, N.B., challenge each other as they passionately argue their cases.The great dark vs. light fruitcake debate
• Dark fruitcakes are made with molasses or brown sugar, a dark liquor such as bourbon and dark fruits and nuts such as prunes and dates. Light fruitcake is made with corn syrup and light coloured fruit such as raisins and dried apricots.
• Fruitcakes are traditionally covered in cheesecloth, moistened with liquor and wrapped in foil. When remoistened occasionally, these cakes can be preserved for years.
• Those who hate fruitcake have suggested the following alternate uses: as a doorstop, a ballast, a recycled gift, a cinder block.
The great dark vs. light fruitcake debate
Medium: Television
Program: Midday
Broadcast Date: Dec. 21, 1994
Guest(s): Mary Cook, Bessie Selby
Host: Lynn Whitham
Duration: 7:13
Last updated:
Aug. 19, 2009
The great dark vs. light fruitcake debate.
The CBC Digital Archives Website.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Last updated: Aug. 19, 2009.
[Page consulted on Feb. 9, 2010.]