Here is the link to the recipe for Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding cake, which includes the instructions for making the tamarind fruit cake batter, icing, cake decorations and assembly. This recipe will feed 120-150 people. (The actual Royal Wedding Cake serves 850.)
http://abcnews.go.com/International/Royal_Wedding/royal-wedding-cake-recipe-pastry-chef-fiona-cairns/story?id=13459548
I am probably one of the few people in the world who like fruit cake. It's a big Christmas tradition in our family, and I get the job of making it.
My only qualm is how it must taste covered in icing/fondant. Just can't imagine that.
I must be the minority here because I think is sounds pretty good. I like fruit cake, though I'm not sure about an entire wedding cake (I'm from the US) haha. Thanks for the recipe 
kathyx1, I'll be looking forward to your update on the recipe
yes...whats bad about America is that they have their ways of making other countries or other places' things taste SO different and mislead many people on how the originals taste. I use to hate fruit cake because i had horrible ones but ever since I had one made by french chefs...I was in love, so I never say something is bad until I taste it...plus its funny how people just say something taste bad just by looking and reading about it. hahaha
yes...whats bad about America is that they have their ways of making other countries or other places' things taste SO different and mislead many people on how the originals taste. I use to hate fruit cake because i had horrible ones but ever since I had one made by french chefs...I was in love, so I never say something is bad until I taste it...plus its funny how people just say something taste bad just by looking and reading about it. hahaha
You have totally hit the nail on the head! I'm a big advocate for trying different or what we would think are exotic foods....the don't knock it till you try it. Also, like you said about judging taste merely by reading the ingredients, you would be surprised what flavor combinations can go together.
It is a HUGE difference when you can get the authentic version though. I've had authentic Thai food and then Thai food at a restaurant and it's like night and day.
My husband likes fruitcake, so I've tried quite a few recipes. And I must say that homemade is so much better than anything I've purchased.
This recipe sounds good and I'd try it as written at least once because I'm a candied ginger fan (peel not so much).
yes...whats bad about America is that they have their ways of making other countries or other places' things taste SO different and mislead many people on how the originals taste. I use to hate fruit cake because i had horrible ones but ever since I had one made by french chefs...I was in love, so I never say something is bad until I taste it...plus its funny how people just say something taste bad just by looking and reading about it. hahaha
Right on. I'm always amazed when I see comments made about an unfamiliar food or recipe as being gross, awful, doesn't look tasty etc. The only way a recipe or food can be judged as being tasty or "gross" would be to try it.
People the world over have different traditions, they eat different foods than we do. Some of them make fruitcakes covered in marzipan, fondant, or royal icing for weddings instead of North American style cakes covered in buttercream, because its thier tradition. Why do some of us have such a need to mock that difference by saying its gross or awful?
I live in West Africa and over here, fruit cake is considered the only(or most appropriate) cake for weddings, Only people on a serious budget would go for other options ....
I happen to be a fruit cake fan too and I think the recipe looks promising, 
I live in West Africa and over here, fruit cake is considered the only(or most appropriate) cake for weddings, Only people on a serious budget would go for other options ....
I happen to be a fruit cake fan too and I think the recipe looks promising,
I love a good fruitcake. I'll definitely try this recipe.
Agree that the Americanized versions of other countries' foods can be misleading. The stuff you get in a Chinese restaurant is far from what folks actually eat in China. It's our version of it...deep fried and swimming in sugar syrup and fruit. Conversely, in China, they have adapted their McDonalds' American food to better suit their tastes...
http://www.weirdasianews.com/2010/03/23/blank-interesting-menu-items-mcdonalds-asia/
Count me in as another fruit cake fan. But am not as fond of brandy. Of course, one could always make some substitutions.
Jamaican rum is a good sub if you're a fan of dark rum. I've been making a Jamaican Black Fruit Cake for my Christmas goodie gift packages since finding the recipe on the NYT website. I ended up buying the cookbook they got the recipe from too. The Black cake recipe has a fair amount of liquor in it, 3 1/2 cups total, so you'd have to be a fan of liquor in fruit cakes to appreciate the taste. I use a mixture of Jamaican rum, brandy, and Chambord (raspberry liqueur) and I leave the fruits soaking in the liquor mixture for two months before making the cakes.
Heres the link to the NYTs article on Jamaican Black Cake. You might like to give it a go if you're a fan of fruitcakes.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D06E4DE163DF93AA25751C1A9619C8B63&pagewanted=2
Fruit cake was always made for the groom's cake in Canada. (At least in eastern Canada) It has been only in recent years that it has taken a swing away to chocolates or fudge. Now I see some are requesting 3D cakes geared to the groom's hobby. Losing our British roots I guess! 
Fruit cake was always made for the groom's cake in Canada. (At least in eastern Canada) It has been only in recent years that it has taken a swing away to chocolates or fudge. Now I see some are requesting 3D cakes geared to the groom's hobby. Losing our British roots I guess!
Nah, we're not losing our British roots, we're just branchin out a bit! Check out a few British cake sites and you'll notice they're offering traditional fruit cakes as well as North American style wedding cakes, and cupcakes with swirls of frosting & sprinkles, as well as the traditional fairly cakes with glace icing and a petite flower.
New ways of doing things or baking things are taken on all the time. But.... when an important event comes along, its usually the old tried and true traditions that are the most requested. The Royal Wedding cake being a prime example of that! 
No one I know will even consider eating fruit cake, because of the shrink-wrapped chunk of fake colored fruit filled *whatever-it-is* that they sell in stores here.
I have always used a recipe from Rose Levy Berenbaum that I LOVE, and everyone who's tried (cleverly disguised as "Jamaican Rum Cake" heh heh) loves it too. It is rich, dark, moist, rummy, and has just the right amount of finely chopped nuts and REAL dried fruits (usually citron, apricot, cranberry, and whatever else I find, but none of those red or green cherry things).
I don't know that I'd do it as a wedding cake, because its crumb is pretty soft, but it sure goes over well at the holidays.
If she made it for the wedding; I bet it's wonderful.
No one I know will even consider eating fruit cake, because of the shrink-wrapped chunk of fake colored fruit filled *whatever-it-is* that they sell in stores here.
I have always used a recipe from Rose Levy Berenbaum that I LOVE, and everyone who's tried (cleverly disguised as "Jamaican Rum Cake" heh heh) loves it too. It is rich, dark, moist, rummy, and has just the right amount of finely chopped nuts and REAL dried fruits (usually citron, apricot, cranberry, and whatever else I find, but none of those red or green cherry things).
I don't know that I'd do it as a wedding cake, because its crumb is pretty soft, but it sure goes over well at the holidays.
If she made it for the wedding; I bet it's wonderful.
Thats what I like about the Jamaican black cake, its all dried fruit and nuts as well. I vary the dried fruits to whatever suits my fancy at the time. Alton Brown has a lovely sounding fruit cake on his website thats dried fruits & nuts as well. I've had it printed out for ages, but have yet to try it as the Jamaican cake is so well liked by my family and friends.
My only qualm is how it must taste covered in icing/fondant. Just can't imagine that.
Royal Icing and Sugarpaste [rolled fondant, RTR , soft white or plastic icing] was invented for fruitcake - not sponge cake, pound cake, butter cakes, chocolate cakes or mud cakes, or any of the other cakes that are served at modern weddings - f r u i t c a k e!
I think it is all what you are raised with and used to. There is no right or wrong, just what you are exposed to. I think that type of cakes evolved more according to climate and climate control than anything.
We tend to have big fridges and airconditioning everywhere - So in general we don't need to have a cake that will survive two or three weeks on the counter in any weather.
When we think of fruitcakes, its a heavy dense brick of a cake that is soaked in liquor for days, weeks...or more..(that grandma made). Most clients think we bake their cake the day they pick it up, they would be offended if they thought it was over a day or two old, and if they thought it was a week old, they wouldn't eat it!
It makes perfect sense that fondant was invented to seal in the fruitcake so it stays fresh while it ages....It wasn't until the last few years that many Americans have tasted fondant. It isn't a taste issue for most, it is a texture thing. We aren't used to chewing icing.
I lived an hour from Paris (in Belgium) for three years, and traveled throughout Europe. I never could get used to the sweets there. It's not right or wrong, just different.
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