New Brunswick bakery's fruitcakes are a prized Christmas commodity

While bakers across New Brunswick are whipping up as many holiday sweets as they can before Christmas Day arrives, the owner of a bakery in Harvey Station says she started preparing for holiday baking in September.

Deanna Stewart, the owner of the Westphalia Bakery, said that's when people began asking about her company's fruitcake, which is one of its most prized and requested creations during the holiday season.

The 120-year-old recipe for slow-baked and brandy-soaked fruitcake was passed down through Stewart's family and remains a staple holiday treat for the Westphalia Bakery.

"It's really quite a recipe," she told Shift: New Brunswick.

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I find that with today's busy world, we're losing a lot of the knowledge and ability to do things from scratch.— Deana Stewart

The brandy fruitcake is so beloved by her customers, Stewart said she's been shipping loaves across Canada and as far away as Victoria.

According to Deana's husband, Michael Stewart, they only sold about a dozen fruitcakes when they started the business eight years ago. But this year, they've sold over 70, making it their biggest year yet.

Other popular sweets from the bakery around this time of year include mocha cakes, peanut butter balls, cherry balls, gumdrop cakes, rolls, mincemeat pies and tarts and more — all of which are made from scratch.

"It's time consuming and there are not a lot of bakeries that do things the old-fashioned way anymore," said Deanna Stewart.

"Part of it is just trying to maintain the tradition. I find that with today's busy world, we're losing a lot of the knowledge and ability to do things from scratch and do things homemade."