Children love it, adults carry it in their backpacks, and families serve it for snacks when the options are limited. A fruitcake enjoys all sorts of love across the world. Video Credit: Chef Ranveer Brar/ YouTube The baked sweet dish has a simple recipe that has been experimented with by home chefs and bakers for centuries and decades. Today, it can be made in various flavours by adding a variety of fruits. However, only a few know how the traditional Roman dish transcended boundaries and made everyone its fan. This article traces the migration history of fruit cake to understand the secrets behind its popularity around the world. Origins Of Fruitcake If historical texts are to be believed, the fruitcake originated in the ancient period. According to popular folklore, Roman soldiers used to carry it with them. The traditional recipe had pomegranate seeds, barley, pine nuts, honeyed wine, and raisins. It had a long shelf life due to which soldiers were able to sustain it without going hungry on a mission. In Rome, these fruitcakes were referred to as satura. Jalebi: Tracing The Path Of Sweet Dish From Persia To India Fruitcake Arrived In England The mediaeval texts indicate that plum-based fruitcakes became quite famous in England, especially around Christmas. When devotees used to fast, they followed the ritual of devouring fruitcakes to break them. In the 16th century, spices arrived in England from Asia, and a new variety of spiced fruitcakes came into existence.