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Home » Recipes » Cake Recipes

Fruit Cake Recipe {Best in the World!}

Published: Nov 6, 2019 Last Updated: Jul 11, 2023 by Marye 1691 words. | About 9 minutes to read this article.

2 hours hrs
This easy fruitcake recipe has been in our family for years. It's full of dates, candied cherries, candied pineapple, and pecans that make it more like candy than a cake! No need to let it "ripen" it's great the same day it's made! This recipe makes 2 (5x9-inch) loaves.
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A collage of fruitcake images with text overlay for Pinterest.

Next time try this bourbon cake!

Closeup of sliced fruitcake.

This easy fruit cake recipe is full of pecans, candied pineapple, candied cherries, dates, and just enough batter to hold it all together.

It's moist and sticky - more like a candy than a cake! It's a traditional fruitcake with old fashioned flavor and it's been a family favorite for generations.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients for Old Fashioned Fruit Cake
  • Fruit Cake Recipe: Love It or Hate It
  • Fruit Cake FAQs
  • Why Is Fruit Cake a Christmas Tradition?
  • More Holiday Recipes from Restless Chipotle
  • You May Need...
  • 📞 The last word
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

Ingredients for Old Fashioned Fruit Cake

The one thing that always amazes me about this old-fashioned fruitcake recipe is that there is almost nothing holding all of that sweet, sticky fruit together. Make sure you DO NOT buy fruitcake mix - you want to get each type of fruit called for individually.

  • Candied Pineapple chunks are called for but sometimes I haven't been able to find it and used the rings instead. Just cut them in chunks. Red and green are the most festive if you can find them.
  • Candied cherries are usually pretty easy to find. If you can use part red ones and part green ones it's prettier.
  • Pitted dates are what makes this cake sweet and sticky. I prefer to get the diced dates but you can get pitted whole dates and dice them yourself.
  • Pecans don't need to be toasted but I think they add more flavor.
  • Sugar is just granulated sugar.
  • All-purpose flour is what creates the batter that holds this together.
  • Baking powder is one ingredient that I add because mom always did - but honestly I have no idea what it does here.
  • Salt helps to balance the sweetness of all the candied fruit.
  • Vanilla adds a rich dimension.
  • Large eggs work with the flour to create the batter.

Fruit Cake Recipe: Love It or Hate It

I grew up loving dark fruitcake. To be honest, I could never figure out why people didn't like it.

To me, there was nothing more delicious than a piece of my Mom's fruit cake -  moist, chewy, and candy-like; thickly slathered with cream cheese or butter. Even better if it was sitting next to a cup of hot chocolate. Mmmmm - Christmas!

...And sugar overload.

That is, I didn't understand it until the fateful day when I tasted someone ELSE'S version of this traditional holiday cake. EWWWW!

I finally understood the jokes..the grimaces..the gagging. Right then I felt sorry for anyone who wasn't me, who didn't have access to this amazing stuff.

I mean, how could it be Christmas without it?

I used to sell this homemade fruitcake on eBay for $30 ...and that was twenty years ago or more! No one that has tasted this recipe doesn't like it...It is moist..and more chewy than cakey...there are no golden or dark raisins in it and no "junk" mixed candied fruit...

A few years ago I had the opportunity to interview the folks at Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, Texas. I think they make the SECOND best fruitcake in the world. 😉

A whole fruitcake loaf on a plat

Fruit Cake FAQs

This recipe is rated: Easy

Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.

Can you ship fruitcake?

Short answer: yes!
I have no clue where my mom got the recipe but she made it for her 6 siblings every single year.
Numerous fruitcakes were wrapped in waxed paper, then boxed, then covered with brown postal paper and tied with a string. It happened just after Thanksgiving just like clockwork. My job was holding my finger on the string so Mom could make the knot tight.
This Christmas cake was mailed overseas to my uncles during World War II ... it has been mailed overseas to my kids in the military. It always arrives perfectly intact and fresh.

Can you make this recipe ahead of time?

You can make in November and let it sit in a cool place or make it closer to Christmas..either way it will be great.

How long does a fruitcake last?

A fruitcake that's stored properly can last for years - not at our house though because we eat it long before it has a chance to go bad.

Does fruitcake have to be refrigerated?

Fruitcake will last a month or so at room temperature if it's properly wrapped. It will also keep for up to about 6 months in the refrigerator.

How do you keep a fruitcake moist?

This traditional fruit cake recipe is moist because of the baking technique and we've eaten the last few bites of it a month or so after making it - it's not dry. Just keep it wrapped. Some people wrap it in a cheesecloth that's been soaked in rum or brandy - and that's a good way to ensure it doesn't mold if you are storing it at room temperature for a long time.

Is this recipe healthy?

Short answer: nope. Fruit cake is high in calories and sugar so you probably shouldn't make a habit of having it for breakfast. Generally it's considered a holiday treat so whether or not it's healthy isn't usually a concern.

How do you store fruitcake?

et the cake cool and remove it from the pan. Leave the waxed paper on it and then wrap it in plastic wrap, then foil.

collage showing the difference between the batter and the baked cake.
Not much difference in the look whether it is baked or unbaked!

Why Is Fruit Cake a Christmas Tradition?

Fruitcake dates to ancient times when the Romans ate a satura cake, a mixture of barley mash, raisins, nuts, pomegranate, and wine.

Over time it evolved into fruitcake - with the candied fruit added to help preserve the finished cake during a season when fruit was not normally available.

It was popular in Victorian England, where it was called a "Christmas Cake" and the tradition was brought to the United States.

Fruitcakes were used as wedding cakes during Victorian times, as a matter of fact, partly because they could be made well ahead of time.

More Holiday Recipes from Restless Chipotle

One of the things I absolutely love about the holiday season is all of the holiday baking! Here are some of my favorites -

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    Old-Fashioned Gingerbread (Cake)
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    Old Fashioned Fudge Recipe
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And if you are thinking of parties you'll definitely want to take a look at these -

  • Gingerbread House Party is so much fun for the kids! I've been doing it since the early 1980s. You make easy houses out of graham crackers and let them decorate with all kinds of candy. SO much fun.
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What’s new? A brand new store full of things to help you make the recipes, celebrate the days, and create the memories! Check out Restless Chipotle & Co. As always, thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle! 

I use these Pyrex glass loaf pans for all of my bread baking whether I’m making yeast bread, quick breads, or loaf cakes like this fruitcake recipe. I love that they’re easy to clean and last forever.

Sliced Christmas Cake close up to show pieces of candied fruit.

📞 The last word

This is the exact holiday cake my mom made. I have no idea where she got the original recipe but I do know that everyone who's tried it loves it!

I can't imagine a Christmas dinner without it and a batch of her homemade fudge.

If you're a fruitcake lover, or you know someone who is, give this recipe a try.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

Closeup of sliced fruitcake.
4.66 from 269 votes

Old Fashioned Fruitcake Recipe

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This easy fruitcake recipe has been in our family for years. It's full of dates, candied cherries, candied pineapple, and pecans that make it more like candy than a cake! No need to let it "ripen" it's great the same day it's made! This recipe makes 2 (5x9-inch) loaves.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Amercian Heritage,Holiday
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes
Total Time: 2 hours hours
Servings:20 servings
Calories:350
Author:Marye Audet-White
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

  • loaf pans
  • rubber spatula

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pecans
  • 1 pound dates, pitted and chopped
  • ½ pound candied cherries, (red and geen)
  • ½ pound candied pineapple, (red and green or yellow)
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¾ cup flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or 1 tablespoon rum, bourbon, or brandy

I earn a commission from Instacart from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 250° degrees (that is not a typo-TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY degrees)
  • Place a pan ⅓ filled with boiling water in the oven to create steam. Put it on the rack under the rack where the fruitcake pans will got.
  • Fill the pan with hot water as needed during baking.
  • Spray two 9-inch loaf pans with cooking spray and line with wax paper or parchment paper.
  • Spray wax paper with cooking spray.
  • Chop dates and nuts.
  • Add them to a large bowl.
  • Sift dry ingredients over fruit and nuts and mix in with your hands.
  • Beat eggs until light, add vanilla and pour over fruit, mixing well. (you will probably need to mix with your hands - it's messy.)
  • Spoon fruit cake batter into prepared pans, pressing down gently to remove large air bubbles and spaces.
  • Place the filled loaf pans onto the rack above the pan with hot water.
  • Bake at 250 for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
  • Let cool.

Notes

This is one of our favorite holiday cakes! During the Christmas season I'll even serve it with a little cream cheese for brunch. Watch the full video on YouTube - click here.
  • To store: let the cake cool and remove it from the pan. Leave the waxed paper on it and then wrap it in plastic wrap, then foil. Store in a cool dark place.
  • This fruit cake ships well. Just wrap it in waxed paper, then in aluminum foil.
  • You can brush this with rum or brandy if you like but I never do - it's good without it.
  • No need to let fruitcake age. It's delicious the same day it's baked.
  • Don't use the "mixed candied fruit". It isn't moist enough and your cake will be dry and tasteless.
You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 266mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 51IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    First published December 22, 2011. Last updated October 16, 2021 for structure and editorial fixes.

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    About Marye

    With a 40 year focus on the importance of family and a passion for southern comfort food, Marye Audet-White is an expert in melding the two together effortlessly. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.

    Reader Interactions

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      Love it? Give it 5 stars!




    1. Jane

      June 29, 2023 at 1:39 am

      I don't have any dates could I use raisins?

      Reply
      • Marye

        June 29, 2023 at 12:16 pm

        I have never used raising so I'm not sure? I don't think they are sticky enough.

        Reply
    2. Lynne

      January 19, 2023 at 7:16 pm

      5 stars
      I love this cake!! My grandmother made the only fruit cake I ever liked and this is so very close to hers. Thank you for sharing!!

      Reply
    3. Agatha

      December 24, 2022 at 1:08 pm

      Read article for tips, watched video, read recipe and steps before starting and it turned out as nuts and candied fruit, no cake. Not sure what I did wrong and will try one more time but today I'm very disappointed.

      Reply
      • Marye

        December 24, 2022 at 5:28 pm

        Agatha - the recipe clearly says that it's more like candy than cake and there's less than a cup of flour in it for the whole cake. I'm sorry you didn't care for it but there's really no point in making it again - it sounds like it came out perfectly.

        Reply
      • Joy

        January 07, 2023 at 10:34 am

        Hi Agatha! Add your dry ingredients to your fruit and nuts and stir to coat everything well. Then add your beaten eggs and stir well to combine. Like she said, there's not much batter - it's just enough to hold everything together. Pour into well greased pans, can even line with parchment. Make sure to press everything together. Not so hard as to smush it, but enough that everything is touching and it will come together as a cake. After baking, let it cool in the pan for a bit before removing to finish cooling. You should have a solid loaf when you are done. Good luck!

        Reply
    4. Carol

      December 22, 2022 at 5:27 pm

      4 stars
      We loved this recipe! I used 16 0z fruitcake mix plus the indicated ingredients because I had them, and everything else the same. The flavor was great and not dry. I had all the glacéd fruits already so I wanted to use them up.

      Reply
    5. Jessica

      December 21, 2022 at 9:54 pm

      5 stars
      The recipes calls for 3 large eggs but in the video you used 6? I didn’t see anyone comment on the number of eggs….My chickens lay roughly a med-large egg but I don’t think 3 would make the batter wet enough, can you clarify that for me? Thank you!!
      Jessica

      Reply
      • Marye

        December 22, 2022 at 10:48 am

        In the video I was making double the recipe.

        Reply
      • Jessica

        December 22, 2022 at 7:22 pm

        5 stars
        Thank you clarifying my egg question so promptly❤️ and I’ve got two cakes in my oven right now. My mom always orders the 2 or 3lb fruitcake from Beatrice Bakery in Beatrice, Nebraska and that’s the only fruit cake I’ve ever had that I liked. In our opinion it’s better than a Collin’s Street fruitcake. My mom is from Dallas and she still mail orders her’s from Beatrice’s. 😉
        Ok, they are out of the oven, cooled and I just took my first taste………very nice we will be enjoying these on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day . Thank you for sharing this recipe with all of us!!! Merry Christmas 🎄

        Reply
    6. Valerie Peterman

      December 21, 2022 at 4:14 pm

      5 stars
      Super moist and sticky. No overpowering spices or flavors. The fruit and the pecans gave it a subtle sweet, fruity flavor.
      Absolutely the best Fruitcake I've ever had. You won't be disappointed with it. I didn't use any alcohol, just the vanilla the recipe called for. Try it out and enjoy. Hats off to Marye. Another fantastic recipe.

      Reply
    7. Celest

      December 20, 2022 at 3:41 pm

      5 stars
      Hi! I love your recipe. Ive made it two years in a row, we don't have pineapple at our supermarket so I used more cherries instead. I followed the recipe and watched the video. However when my cakes are fully baked, they look more like your before photos (showing yellow batter between ). Wondering how to avoid this and get the pretty glossy dark look as in your photos.
      Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Celest

        December 20, 2022 at 3:46 pm

        Also, in the recipe it says 3 eggs but in your video there are 6?

        Reply
        • Marye

          December 22, 2022 at 5:42 pm

          I was making a double batch in the video.

      • Marye

        December 22, 2022 at 5:42 pm

        Celest - I think it's the dates? This year I used a different brand and they seemed drier - my fruitcakes came out less dark and more yellowish. I have the best luck when I use the diced dates rather than cutting whole ones. If you figure it out let me know.:)

        Reply
    8. Steven covatti

      December 14, 2022 at 3:20 pm

      Hi there, can I tried your recipe and it was phenomenal! Can I double the batter in the loaf pan to get a thicker cake? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Marye

        December 14, 2022 at 4:45 pm

        My loaf pan wouldn't hold double the batter so I'm not sure what size pan you have? If y ou make it thicker it's going to take days to bake.

        Reply
      • Gary

        December 19, 2022 at 11:45 am

        5 stars
        Love the fruit cake recipe that you for sharing it Gary

        Reply
    9. Carole Collier

      December 10, 2022 at 7:59 am

      5 stars
      Oh my, this is the exact recipe I've been looking for. Easy, has everything I was looking for in a fruitcake. Very delicious, moist and perfect in every way. I put in in small aluminum loaf pans and it turned out great. It is so good I'll have to make another batch for more gifts.

      Reply
    10. Pam A

      December 07, 2022 at 9:08 pm

      5 stars
      Oh, my goodness!!! I've been trying to find something close to the CSB one and this is perfection!!! This recipe is gold! I need to lock it in a safe, put it in the cloud and never ever lose it. Absolutely delicious. Angels in Heaven were singing!! I toasted the pecans (per your suggestion), cut the cherries and pineapple in halves, chopped the whole dates (per your suggestions), followed your recipe exactly, and it turned out perfect! Simply divine

      Reply
    11. Alicia G

      December 06, 2022 at 6:57 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you!!! We misplaced Mom’s recipe that she’s had for forever and this is the exact one! The only thing she does differently is coat it in Karo Syrup after is baked, though she wants to change it to Agave syrup next time she makes it.
      I also love it slathered in cream cheese! People don’t know what they’re missing!
      I’m curious if this recipe comes from the PA Dutch or a general German influence. That’s what a lot of my mom’s recipes are from, PA Dutch/Mennonite influenced. Hmm, curious
      Thank you for Sharing!!!

      Reply
      • Marye

        December 06, 2022 at 7:20 pm

        As far as I know it didn't come from PA. Mom was from Michigan and I think she made this in the 1940s.

        Reply
    12. Mr. Terry L Schwerin

      December 05, 2022 at 9:28 pm

      5 stars
      I love fruitcake. This one is easy to make and taste delicious. I made it today and could not wait for it to be completely cooled before trying it. The taste and texture were perfection. My only problem is no one else in my extended family likes fruitcake so i will be eating it all, which will not help my waistline but it will be worth it.

      Reply
    13. Kayla

      November 22, 2022 at 12:27 pm

      Can this be made in a bunt pan?

      Reply
      • Marye

        November 23, 2022 at 10:15 am

        I've never tried. I'm sure it could but have no idea how long it would take.

        Reply
    14. Elizabeth

      November 16, 2022 at 10:26 am

      5 stars
      Thank you so much for this recipe. I have my Mother's recipe but it was missing a few key ingredients and information. Your recipe helped piece my childhood back together and I am excited to share this fruitcake with my Brothers. I made it with my sons and DILs of course they said yuck. I told them it was like a KIND bar because there was so little "cake" they all loved it and want to make a second batch... Millennials! You have made our holidays complete and I wish for you the same. Liz

      Reply
    15. Bonnie

      November 14, 2022 at 9:54 pm

      The perfect fruitcake recipe! I've been looking for this recipe for literally years. Didn't have any candied pineapple so sub'd in some golden raisins. Can't wait to try it with all the right stuff for the holidays. Used the brandy instead of vanilla, didn't brush it. It was outstanding!

      Reply
    16. Donna

      October 28, 2022 at 7:42 pm

      Has anyone converted thos recipie to cups? Thanks.

      Reply
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    NY Times bestselling author. 10 cookbooks. Mom of 8 kids. Homeschooling mom for 22 years. Addicted to Hallmark Christmas Movies.

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