The Trudy Fruity journey began in 2009
Each of us will endure a universe that brings growth, change and challenges. While we often try to resolve these life events, and determine a direction, we eventually recognize all of life’s journey brings new opportunities. An annual family tradition of baking Fruitcake every holiday, pointed a new direction to a new business startup.
A Celebration of Heavenly Taste Sensation
A gift we joyfully and lovingly share with you through an annual fruitcake bake sale, and soon, a book release which promises to vindicate a dessert which is renowned for “love it, or hate it” positions, by generations past, present and future.
The Trudy Fruity Story
The company name, “Trudy Fruity” was adopted in memory of Gertrude Suzie Gilliard, whose nick name for those who were her family and closest friends, was “Trudy.” Sometimes the universe must align with change, challenges, risk taking and exploring opportunities and perseverance. A family tradition of baking Fruitcake every holiday, finally lead to a new business startup.
Gertrude “Trudy” Gilliard
Trudy lived in Savannah, Georgia throughout her long life and was known throughout the city for her delicious southern cooking.
Trudy lived in Savannah, Georgia throughout her long life and was known throughout the city for her delicious southern cooking. The traditional Sunday family supper was celebrated with Trudy’s signature dishes. Preparation for Sunday supper begin on Saturday. Trudy was mom to ten children, sister to six siblings, wife, aunt, and friend to many. When it came time to setting the table for Sunday supper, the family dinner table was surrounded by over a dozen seated guest.
Trudy’s gift for cooking southern meals became her legacy, her passion, and her loving gift to many. On holidays Trudy open her home to her community, hosting breakfast for anyone who wanted to come by.
Trudy baked an annual fruitcake recipe, which involves cookies. She baked up large batches and gifted them to her loved ones. As Trudy aged, she handed her annual fruitcake baking tradition over to her son, Gary Gilliard. For decades, Gary has continued with Trudy’s annual fruitcake cookies baking, making this delicious dessert his signature holiday gift to family, friends, co-workers, neighbors and even strangers he met during the year who stuck up interesting conversations about fruitcake.
The Passion of Baking Fruitcake
At Trudy Fruity, Inc, southern hospitality is part of our genetic make up, along with a dedication to quality, and a “more is more” mentally. Remembering mother “Trudy” , we believe she would have approved of our embellishments, and we think you will appreciate our use of only the finest ingredients in baking Trudy Fruity goodies.
What’s in the Recipe?
A passion for making fruitcake is the key ingredient. The making of fruitcake is a labor of love, passion and engagement. Fruitcakes from all over the world share a unique timeline for making during the winter holiday months, especially Christmas.
What can go wrong when you combine dried fruits, roasted nuts, brown sugar, apricot brandy and more. Fruitcakes from all over the world have different names, but most are made from the same ingredients.
The Diva of All Desserts
No other dessert ranks higher in fiber and protein. Fruitcakes are finished with a bath of liquor, brandy, or other spirits over several weeks, elevating the taste to a delicious level. Fruitcake has the longest shelf life, and always delights with every bite.
Gary’s annual fruitcake baking became a tradition
Family and friends encouraged him to change his life and pursue a career around baking fruitcake. This idea became reality following a life changing career event in 2009. Gary started up Trudy Fruity, Inc. a baking company specializing in all things involving dried fruit and nuts.
Early start years involved selling fruitcake and other sweets at farmer markets and specialty grocery stores. In later years selling on Ecommerce. The company shifted back to the tradition of only baking fruitcake annually around the holidays, with advance ordering. As time evolved, a return to corporate career, Gary retained his annual fruitcake baking tradition, but with a new direction. The Trudy Fruity, Inc. LLC journey that begin in 2009, has navigated Gary to the direction of becoming an author around writing a cookbook about, guess what…. Fruitcake!
Today, Trudy Fruity, Inc. remains a baking company, which takes advance orders for Fruitcake and ships them around the fall/winter holiday season; however, there is a new initiative that has been underway for years, the story telling of this “diva of all desserts” Fruitcake, a book due to be released soon.
Reserve a copy of the new book by filling out a reservation form.
The History of Fruitcake
Before apple pie, brownies, fruit cobblers and other well-known desserts, there was fruitcake. Our research dates to the 1400s, yet we believe Fruitcake has existed from the early times of humankind.
Fruitcake vast and diverse history, which exist in hundreds of recipes and traditions across nearly every continent. An interesting fact, all of the cakes share similar ingredients, i.e., dried fruits, nuts and spices.
Here are relatives of fruitcake from places around the world:
Asia – Moon Cake
Bulgaria / Poland – Keks
France/Belgium/Switzerland/Luxembourg/Lebanon – Yule Log Cake
England – English Plum Porridge / Christmas Pudding
Germany – Stollen
Hawaii – Rum-Soaked Pineapple Macadamia Nut
India – Allahabadi Cake
Italy – Panforte
Jamaica/Caribbean Islands – Black Fruitcake
Mexico – Crushed Pineapple Cake
Nicaragua – Pio Qunto
Portugal – Bolo Rei
Scotland – Whisky Dundee Cake
Vietnam – Bahn bo Mut
The name fruitcake” can be traced back to the Middle Ages. The name is derived from combining the Latin word “fructus, with the French the word is “frui or frug.”
Definition of Fruitcake – (or Fruit Cake) is a cake made of chopped candied and/or dry fruit, roasted nuts, spices, jams and sugar. A key ingredient is the use of alcohol liqueurs, cognac, whiskeys, or sweet wines to marinate the fruit and coat the exterior of the cake.
We are excited to share the following facts from earlier times of the past:
The Beginning of Time
Africa, Asia, Mediterranean countries discovered dried fruit and nuts, using these high protein foods into a variety of recipes.
The 1400s
The British began their love affair with fruitcake when dried fruits from the Mediterranean arrived by ships.
The 1700s
In Europe, a ceremonial type of fruitcake was baked at the end of the nut harvest and then saved and eaten the following year to celebrate the beginning of the next harvest, hoping it would bring another successful crop. After the harvest, nuts were mixed and made into fruitcake that was saved until the following year.
The 1800s
At the beginning of the nineteenth century, fruitcake (then called plum cake) was outlawed entirely throughout continental Europe. The cakes were considered “sinfully rich.” By the end of the nineteenth century there were laws restricting the use of plum cake.
Between years 1837-1901
Fruitcake was extremely popular. In England, a “Victorian Tea” would not have been complete without the featuring of fruitcake, finished off with sweet and savory spreads. Queen Victoria is said to have waited a year to eat fruitcake she received for her birthday, because she felt it showed restraint, moderation, and good taste. English custom was for unmarried guest to put a slice of fruitcake under their pillow at night so they would dream of the person they would marry.
In 1935
In America, a slang phrase was born and used in movies and in homes across the country, “Nutty as a fruitcake.”
Since 1954-1999
Gertrude Susie Gilliard baked fruitcake every holiday, handing off her annual bake event to her son, Gary.
Since 2009
Trudy’s son, Gary Gilliard, started Trudy Fruity, Inc. a baking company with a tradition of baking all things filled with dried fruits & nuts.
At Trudy Fruity, Inc, southern hospitality is part of our genetic make-up, along with a dedication to quality, and a “more is more” mentally.
If you never ate Trudy Fruity Fruitcake, you’re going to be “Wowed”! Trudy’s passion for making Fruitcake every holiday, converting those who thought they’d never like Fruitcake and please those Fruitcake lovers who always knew this dessert is the grand diva of all desserts. – Enjoy!
Its All Good Stuff! – Fruitcake is loaded with protein, fiber and other healthy foods. The list of ingredients will ensure a delicious fruitcake.
Trudy Fruity Fruitcake Ingredients
Fiber, protein, iron, more.
Fruitcake ranks highest among most desserts for its healthy ingredients.
Dry
Flour – All Purpose
Flour – Almond
Brown Sugar
Wet
Butter
Eggs
Milk
Fresh Orange Juice
Orange Liqueur
Flavoring
Homemade vanilla extract
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Orange Rind – Shaved
Lemon Rind – Shaved
Fruits & Nut
Candied Mix Fruit Peel
Dried Raisins & Cranberries
Dried Apricot
Dried Prunes
Pecans – Roasted
Homemade Candied Orange Slices to Garnish Top of Cake
Finishing Treatment
Grand Marnier Orange Liqueur
My favorite liquor with Fruitcake is “Grand Marnier Orange Liqueur” (GMOL). While there are multiple liquors and liquors that paid amazingly well with Fruitcake, orange liqueur is the most popular, and in our opinion the best favor. The recipe requires quite a variety of tasks, which include:
- Soak raisins in a cup of GMOL and leave in a covered plastic container for 1-2 days prior to making your Fruitcake. The tiny raisins will be tiny no more, they absorb the liqueur and bring a juicy fruit to the recipe.
- Always begin making your fruitcake by pouring “you” a shot of GMOL . Down the shot… and let the fruitcake making begin…….
- Port a ¼ cup of GMOL into the batter with the wet ingredients.
- Fill a spray bottle with GMOL, and give the fruitcake a spray as it comes out of the oven, and again once the cake cools. Repeat this spray bath twice weekly over two weeks.
Secret Ingredient
The making of fruitcake is a labor of love & passion. You are the secret ingredient.
Fruitcake Flashbacks
Fruitcake has endured for centuries and whether you love it or hate it, it will survive forever. We all have heard epithets making fun of fruitcake, so we are excited to defend the reputation of fruitcake with a journal of testimonials from Trudy Fruity customers and admirers.
The mail carrier dropped off a large box containing two dozen cookie tins, with a note thanking Trudy Fruity for decades of shipping delicious fruitcakes. Father Don held on to every cookie tin throughout the years.
We a brown paper wrapped package on our doorstep, addressed to a prior resident. With no way to forward the package, we opened it and discovered your holiday cookies. We could not resist eating them, they were so tasty, and we could smell aromas of species we remembered from our past. Your cookies were amazingly good. They brought back memories of my mom baking fruitcake at holiday season. Please put us on your list for your next bake.
These cookies are the bomb!
Don’t hate the cake.
It’s too good to be fruitcake.
I purchased a box of fruitcake cookies; I thought I would taste one as I drove home…. what fruitcake cookies, they were all gone before I arrived home.
A few years ago, I received a box of Gary’s fruitcake cookies. I thought to myself, “same brick in a different and smaller package.” Immediately, I began to form my words so that when asked how I liked the cookies, I could be kind, but honest. Nice package, cool little cookies, interesting way to dress up fruitcake. I was surprised and elated when I bit into one of the cookies…oh my goodness good! The cookies were delicious, soft, and flavorful. Is this really fruitcake?
Incredible chewy cookies. Like the festive fruitcake bites, great packaging.
When will you finish writing your book?
You really have the best holiday desserts for fall & winter. Where are the treats for Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and other.
Email us at trudyfruityinc@gmail.com with your ‘fruitcake flash back,’ we would love to hear from you!
Annual Bake-Sale Orders
Trudy Fruity bakes fruitcakes & cookies annually in the fall season, ensuring orders are shipped in time for holiday gatherings. Every order is handmade, fermented in Grand Marnier Orange Liqueur and packed inside a cookie tin. Every order arrives festively wrapped.
Orders must be received by September 15th annually, with orders shipped at these timelines:
First Shipment Departs – November 15th
Last Shipment Departs – December 1st
Product Pricing – Pricing is determined annually using market rates. Pricing will be communicated with order inquiries.
Reserve Now
Trudy Fruity accepts annual orders up until September 15th. Customer service will contact you to finalize your order. All payments are transacted through “Venmo” payment system.
Contact Us
Trudy Fruity, Inc.
Website: trudyfruity.com
Email Address: trudyfruityinc@gmail.com
Telephone Number: 505.933.0780