from http://www.janeausten.co.uk/christmas-fruit-cake/ It is difficult to imagine that the Christmas Cake, the rich fruit cake we love, could ever have been banned by law! By the 18th century in Europe, fruit cakes contained nuts from the harvest for good luck and they subsequently became very popular . It had become a common practice to save the cooked cakes and eat them before the harvest of the following year. These cakes, then called plum cakes, were considered "sinfully rich" and a law was passed outlawing the consumption of fruit cake in Europe, except at Christmas and weddings and on a few very special holidays. In Jane Austen's novel, Emma , Mr Woodhouse was appalled that such rich food as fruit cake could be consumed, and in his own house! He did his utmost to ban the serving of the cake, and then when his efforts were in vain, attempted to dissuade anyone from eating it. However,we learn of the significance of ...
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