Assumption Abbey Fruitcake

Despite fruitcake's dicey reputation, critics say that Assumption Abbey makes a traditional fruitcake that manages to be light. This round, 2-pound cake, which is garnished with glazed cherries and pecan halves, earns praise for its balanced flavors and classic appearance. Reviewers say the moist interior is packed with walnuts, pecans, raisins, cherries, pineapple, currants and citrus zest. Monks inject the cakes with rum and age them for as long as 10 months. But not every reviewer is a fan of Assumption Abbey's fruitcake. RedPlum.com ranks it at the bottom in their head-to-head taste test. Editors say it looks nice, but that the alcohol flavor is too strong. A good alternative is Gethsemani Farms Kentucky Bourbon Fruitcake (*Est. $35, including shipping), which gets good reviews all around as a traditional fruitcake.

We read reviews of Assumption Abbey's fruitcake in Cook's Illustrated and MondoFruitcake.com. It's also included in a roundup at RedPlum.com. We appreciate Cook's Illustrated's attention to delivery time and website navigation, but we wish editors had described the packaging. MondoFruitcake.com relies on a single palate -- the site founder's -- instead of a tasting panel.