WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Fruitcake is one of those holiday traditions people either swear by or swear off altogether. In Central Texas, one local bakery is turning that often-debated dessert into a business with global reach.
Watch the full story here:
Collin Street Bakery, in Waco, has been making fruitcakes for nearly 130 years. Despite the jokes and skepticism that often surround the holiday staple, the bakery said the controversy has never slowed them down.
“Fruitcake is controversial and we really don't know why, because ours is made out of just the best ingredients in the world. I mean locally harvested honey, pecans from right around here in Texas, the Southwest pineapple from Costa Rica, cherries from Northwest Michigan, raisins from California – it's just the best ingredients in the world,” said Hayden Crawford, vice president of public relations at Collin Street Bakery.
The history of fruitcake dates back centuries, long before modern refrigeration. Dense cake, sugared fruit and preserved ingredients allowed the dessert to be stored for months and served when families gathered for holidays.
The red and green fruit, heavy use of sugar and rich texture eventually helped cement fruitcake as a Christmas tradition that still appears on holiday tables today.
What began as a Texas tradition has since grown into an international business. Collin Street Bakery was founded in 1896, and its fruitcakes are now shipped to customers across the United States and around the world.
“You can see the red and green fruit. This recognizes Christmas. It looks like a Christmas wreath, in fact,” Crawford said. “It's everywhere. We sell in all 50 states and 150, 180 foreign countries. It switches every year, but we sell all over the world.”
This year marks Collin Street Bakery’s 129th year in business. The company produces about one million pounds of fruitcake annually.
