Collin Street Bakery fruit cake: Still great after all these years

I love fruit cakes and have tried many over the years. Some are memorable and leave me longing for more while others got me wondering why I bought them in the first place. Looks can be deceiving. Even price is no guarantee of quality.

Out of all the good ones that I’ve tried, only one brand has stuck in my mind since I first tasted it in the mid-1990s. My in-laws gave my family a Collin Street Bakery fruit cake when they returned from a trip to the US. And not just me, but my family, have got hooked on it since.

Founded in 1896, Collin Street Bakery has been shipped to 196 countries around the world. That’s quite an achievement considering that it has only one physical store.

Thanks to the Internet and online commerce, I need not make a trip to Corsicana, Texas, to get my fix. I’ve ordered it online several times — can’t afford to do this too often because the shipping cost is hefty.

Every year, I’d get a mailer (good old hard copy) from Collin Street Bakery in the last quarter. And the reminder never fails to bring back the saliva-inducing memories.

I yielded to the temptation this year and received my package today — about three weeks after ordering online.

OK, let me tell you why I think this fruit cake stands out from others that I’ve tried.

1. Nicely moist. A great fruit cake must be moist without being overly wet. Collin Street Bakery’s Deluxe Fruit Cake is at the right level of moist.
2. Loaded with ingredients. Besides the pecans and cherries that adorn the top, the cake is packed with ingredients. No matter how it’s sliced, there are plenty to chew on with every bite.
3. Collectible tin. The cake comes in a tin that is worthy of keeping. Classic looking, the tin is air tight and can be used to store other food items.
4. Keeps well. Fret not if you cannot finish the cake quickly. Keep it in the fridge and it’ll still be good to eat months later.
5. Worthy price. At US$29.95 for the regular sized version, it’s not cheap but certainly worth its price. Goodness is guaranteed.

Any time’s a good time for a nice slice of fruit cake. Christmas just makes a great excuse for ordering one.

If you love fruit cakes, do check out those from Collin Street Bakery. It’s still not too late to get them just in time for Christmas.

As for me and my family, we’re not quite sure if ours will last till December 25. We have starting eating ours and can declare unabashedly, “This fruit cake is still as good after all these years and worth every calorie.”