What is the Difference Between Christmas Cake and Christmas Pudding

The main difference between Christmas cake and Christmas pudding is that Christmas cake is a rich cake containing dried fruits and usually having a covering with icing and marzipan while Christmas pudding is a rich steamed pudding made with flour, suet, and dried fruits.

Both Christmas cake and Christmas pudding are traditional delicacies that are part of Christmas. Both of these are made with dried fruits and have a rich flavour. Moreover, they are made well in advance of Christmas. Despite these similarities, there are also a few differences between Christmas cake and Christmas pudding.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Christmas Cake
     – Definition, Ingredients, Making
2. What is Christmas Pudding
     – Definition, Ingredients, Making
3. What are the Similarities Between Christmas Cake and Christmas Pudding
     – Outline of Common Features
4. What is the Difference Between Christmas Cake and Christmas Pudding
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Christmas Cake, Christmas Pudding

What is Christmas Cake

A Christmas cake is a rich cake containing dried fruits and usually having a covering with icing and marzipan. Sometimes, we also call it a fruitcake. Christmas cakes contain a lot of fruits, sugar, and brandy or rum. A traditional English cake has currants, sultanas, and raisins, which have soaked in rum or brandy. This recipe also calls for ingredients like candied peel, candied cherries, and spices like cinnamon, and nutmeg. Christmas cakes with icing or marzipan coverings are usually decorated with fir trees, Father Christmas, models of houses, etc. Different countries or cultures have different variations for Christmas cake. For example, Whisky Dundee is the Scottish variation of Christmas cake.

Although Christmas cake recipe may look very complex since it has a lot of ingredients, it’s not very difficult to make. The main part is preparing all the ingredients. Once, these are assembled, you have to bake it long and slow.  Moreover, Christmas cake is usually made some time before Christmas. This helps the cake mature and gives the cake a stronger flavour.

What is Christmas Pudding

Christmas pudding is a rich steamed pudding made with flour, suet, and dried fruit, typically eaten at Christmas. It’s a part of British Christmas meal and originates from medieval England. Like a fruit cake, Christmas pudding contains candied peel, various dried fruits, apple and citrus zest. Moreover, it is a sticky and dense sponge with a dark colour. This colour comes from brandy and spices that give the pudding a complex flavour. The pudding is generally decorated on the top with a spring of holly. You can eat this pudding with a hard sauce, ice cream, custard, cream, lemon cream or sweet bechamel.

Different families have their own recipes for Christmas pudding, some handed down through generations. The recipe basically brings together ingredients that were traditionally expensive and luxury. Moreover, this pudding is usually made in advance to allow it to mature. It’s stored in a cool and dry place and then reheated on Christmas day. In fact, eating it immediately after cooking will cause the pudding to collapse, and the flavours may not have had time to mature.

Similarities Between Christmas Cake and Christmas Pudding

• Christmas cake and Christmas pudding have similar ingredients; they have various dried fruits, candied fruit peels, spices, as well as brandy.
• Both are made before Christmas. This gives them time to mature and develop a strong flavour.

Difference Between Christmas Cake and Christmas Pudding

Definition

A Christmas cake is a rich cake containing dried fruits and usually having a covering with icing and marzipan while a Christmas pudding is a rich steamed pudding made with flour, suet, and dried fruits, typically eaten at Christmas.

Cooking

Christmas cake is made by baking while Christmas pudding is made by steaming.

Covering

Christmas cakes usually have icing or marzipan covering while Christmas puddings don’t have a covering.

Suet

Moreover, Christmas pudding is made with suet while Christmas cake does not contain suet.

Conclusion

The main difference between Christmas cake and Christmas pudding is that Christmas cake is a rich cake containing dried fruits and usually having a covering with icing and marzipan while Christmas pudding is a rich steamed pudding made with flour, suet, and dried fruits.

Reference:

1. “Christmas Cake.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 8 Dec. 2020, Available here.
2. Lemm, Elaine. “Tried and Tested Recipe for the Best Christmas Pudding.” The Spruce Eats, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Christmas pudding 2013” By Smabs Sputzer (1956-2017) – (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Christmas cake (6954064737)” By James Petts from London, England – Christmas cake (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia