crazy, eccentric or mentally abnormal. This
American expression dates back to 1920 and refers to the
nuts in a
fruitcake (
nutty meaning crazy has been in
use since the
late 1800s). A
fruitcake is a
type of
cake containing dried or candied
fruits and
nuts. Due to its
similar ingredients, it is often confused with Christmas pudding which traditionally contains a liquor and is often served with brandy around it and flamed. The expression
nutty as a
fruitcake later gave
rise to the usage of
fruitcake for an eccentric
individual.