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AIBU?

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Original poster

To let young children eat fruitcake?

105 replies

Purpleartichoke · 04/12/2018 23:43

I have made a proper fruitcake this year. I’ve been feeding it Brandy for 6 weeks. I just broke down and tasted a tiny sliver and it was amazing.

So when Christmas comes do I
A) hoard this booze soaked cake for the grownups
B) let the kids ages 6-12 have a piece despite the alcohol
C) pretend I didn’t make fruitcake at all and just sneak a piece out of its hiding place when no one is looking so I can eat it all myself

OP posts:
AfterSchoolWorry · 04/12/2018 23:45

Would kids want to eat fruit cake?

Raisins being the work of the devil etc 👿

AtSea1979 · 04/12/2018 23:45

It’s Christmas c’mon you have to share. As for the alcohol content since when did a bit of fruitcake ever do any harm?

Moonflower12 · 04/12/2018 23:45

C obviously! But I'd start now....

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 04/12/2018 23:46

It’s wasted on the children, they will only make a face and spit it out where your dog will find it and eat it and vomit all over your nice carpets.

So save it for the adults.

Or just go straight for option C. Much cleaner that way.,

Singlenotsingle · 04/12/2018 23:48

Kids won't like fruitcake. Make them a chocolate one, or chocolate cupcakes.

wafflyversatile · 05/12/2018 00:29

Make the children eat the fruitcake and bring me a yule log.

PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 05/12/2018 00:38

B. There won't be much per slice, and it seems a bit silly to make and ice a Christmas cake for them to look at but not eat.

(Although you can definitely claim "Chef's Tax" and have the biggest slice each time!)

CoughLaughFart · 05/12/2018 00:45

I don’t think there’s any harm - although personally, I’d scoff the lot myself 🐷

ThistleAmore · 05/12/2018 00:49

I'm nearly 40 and I still think fruitcake is vile (I'm one of those irritating gits who'll pick a cake apart to eat the marzipan and leave the rest).

Save it for the adults.

StoppinBy · 05/12/2018 01:02

D/Tell the parents and let them decide.

If no one told me there was alcohol in it I wouldn't realise as I have actually never made or eaten a fruitcake that has alcohol in it. I would not want my children eating it.

BruegelTheEIder · 05/12/2018 01:03

Make sure you come back and let us know how many of the 6-12 year olds wanted Brandy soaked fruit cake, OP!

We can start a sweepstake. I'm going with 1.

I definitely can't see it being more than that.

jessstan2 · 05/12/2018 01:05

Mine always had fruitcake which had been well soused in brandy.
Didn't make them drunk. They loved it.

A lot of kids don't like fruit cake though.

halfwitpicker · 05/12/2018 01:08

Share it!

abacucat · 05/12/2018 01:09

I loved brandy soaked fruit cake as a kid. Just tell the parents the cake has brandy in it and is it okay for their kids to have a bit. But only give them a tiny bit initially in case they dont like it. In reality the amount of brandy in a slice is negligible.

SapphireSeptember · 05/12/2018 01:09

No, my nan and mum both made proper Christmas cake well soaked in booze, I always loved eating it!

abacucat · 05/12/2018 01:20

stoppin Any decent christmas cake has some brandy in it.

WereYouHareWhenIWasFox · 05/12/2018 01:25

Yes make a chocolate alternative for the children. I only just started eating fruitcake last year and I am in my forties, now it is my absolute favourite (with cheese) it is wasted on the young!

abacucat · 05/12/2018 01:27

I have never liked chocolate cake, even as a kid.

WereYouHareWhenIWasFox · 05/12/2018 01:29

No, actually I know loads of kids who don’t like chocolate cake. Or in fact any cake (I was one!) A bag of Haribo?

Jocasta2018 · 05/12/2018 01:35

I was always brought up both making and eating the family Xmas cake, mince pies and pudding.
The dried fruit would be soaked in huge Kilner jars of red wine for at least two months before anything was made! Then depending on the recipe either brandy or bitter would be added during the cooking stage. I guess this means that all the booze had been baked out but you had all the taste and moisture.

I don't see any harm in the children having the cake but you should warn the adults first.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 05/12/2018 01:38

Honestly, kids aged 6-12?! I really think they will be fine.

Last Sunday my 20 month old DD was offered many, many pieces of cake after church, and since it was the first Sunday in Advent the cake was a very boozy Christmas cake, complete (since we are in Yorkshire) with slices of cheese. She ate the cheese and spent a long time delightedly sniffing the cake. A year ago she just scoffed the lot.

I would mention that the cake is boozy. If it were me I'd announce, before cutting 'now this will be great because I've been feeding it brandy for six weeks,' just as you say. But then, people can decide what they want to do.

Blondie1984 · 05/12/2018 01:39

If they want it...although most kids I know are only interested in the marzipan and icing and then leave the cake but would definitely let them have a small piece if they wanted

kateandme · 05/12/2018 03:16

always ate the icing...but I ate the cake too sometimes if mum and dad were on a "if you want the icing you have to eat the whole thing bla bla bla" they did the same with crumble the buggers!no trouble what so ever and my little brother used to hoover up the cake.and then have proper brandy lit pudding too.
what about making a chocolate cake or fairy cakes instead.

NaughtToThreeSadOnions · 05/12/2018 03:42

For all those going chrildren don't like fruit cake, this isnt any fruit cake its christmas cake or christmas pudding.

Also as i child i would have much perfered fruit cake to anything containing chocolate. not all children like chocolate.

the first Sunday in Advent the cake was a very boozy Christmas cake, complete (since we are in Yorkshire) with slices of cheese

I love yorkshire but ive only just become aware of this tradition. What have i missed out on?! Cheese and fruit. Sounds amazing!

Stopyourhavering64 · 05/12/2018 03:52

I soak the fruit in rum before cooking cake, then feed it weekly...ime my dcs hate fruit cake , but I always make them a chocolate roulade which I also have to try

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