First published December 22, 2011. Last updated May 7, 2025 for editorial improvements.
Table of Contents
🎥 Watch and cook: step-by-step video tutorial
In this video, I’ll show you exactly how to make a fruitcake that people actually want to eat (and maybe even fight over at Christmas). Spoiler: no hockey pucks here.
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Sweet and chewy, this fruitcake is more like candy than a cake.
- This is a staple for the holidays at our house - I can't imagine Christmas without it.
- If you watch the video you'll see that putting the pecans in a food processor just doesn't work well. Coarsely chop them for the best results.
📖 Recipe
Old Fashioned Fruitcake Recipe
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 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
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
- 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.
- 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.
Nutrition Facts
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.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
🧾 Ingredients notes
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.
🔪 How to make this fruitcake recipe
Mix chopped pecans, dates, and candied fruit.
Add in sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
Whisk eggs and vanilla together. Mix into the fruit mixture.
Press into parchment lined loaf pans and bake according to instructions in the recipe card below.
Marye's Tips
Don't use the "mixed candied fruit". It isn't moist enough and your cake will be dry and tasteless.
The pan of water on the rack beneath the fruit cake in the oven is important. Don't skip it!
🥫 Leftover love: how to store fruitcake
Wrap fruitcake in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for several weeks. Refrigerate or freeze for longer storage.
🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up -
Showing my decadent side here - During the holidays one of my favorite breakfast treats is a slice of fruit cake smeared with cream cheese. Heaven!
zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive
⏲️ Marye's time saving hacks -
Fruit cake is usually even better a day or two after it's made, and it will last several weeks, so I like to make it before the chaos of the holidays really gets going.
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- 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.
- 50 Best Red Velvet Recipes because what's Christmas without red velvet? Seriously!!
- 91 Best Christmas Cookies means that not only do you have plenty to choose from but your holiday cookie tray are going to be amazing!
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, her date nut bread, and a batch of her homemade fudge.
If you're a fruitcake lover, or you know someone who is, give this recipe a try.
Don't lose this recipe!
Pin to your favorite Pinterest board to keep it handy.
fwn says
I was trying different fruitcake recipes over the holidays and this was delicious! Definitely more of a chewy, candy-like fruit and nut bar, as there was hardly discernible cake, but just what I wanted. I made as directed the first time then subsequently added in some candied lemon and orange peel; used brandy instead of vanilla; and doused it with dark rum after baking and let it sit for a short time-the soaking made it a bit gooier/stickier but I didn’t mind. I was also able to sub flax eggs for those who have allergies (I did have to tinker a bit to make it work as initially it didn’t bind as well). I’m secretly thrilled I can make this at a moment’s notice whenever a craving starts.
Marye says
I'm so glad you liked it! It's a favorite!
Sara Lassiter says
Followed the recipe exactly. Really wanted to love it. None of us liked it. Just kind of blah.
E Peachey says
So happy to find this recipe online! It is exactly the same as the recipe I grew up with, except that we did not add vanilla flavoring. It does not call for any spices. We think it is The Best in the world.
Kaye says
This moist, delicious fruit cake is exactly what I wanted! I am about to make it again to store away for another special occasion. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Arlene says
Excellent recipe! I don't like fruitcake but I love this one!
Paloma De Jesus says
Quedó tan rico 💖 mi esposo me pidió que la hiciera otra vez!🥰
Marye says
Translation: "It was so delicious 💖 my husband asked me to make it again!"
I'm so glad you liked it.
Carolyn says
My family loved this!
Cindy says
Well, after many years of eating yucky/dry cakes, and having only one very expensive and good ‘Texas’ cake last year, I decided to try making this recipe. My first time to make a fruitcake ever (I’m 67 and love to bake)…what a pleasant surprise. I made 3 smaller cakes with the recipe and gave one away to the person that swears by the expensive, Texas cake…she now wants this recipe. THANK you for sharing this recipe. It will be our family treat for years to come! Great flavor and so moist.
Judy J. says
Best. Fruit Cake. EVER. I will make this every Christmas.
Nelly Narváez Rivera says
Last year l added cranberries ,figs , golden and dark raisins hydrated in golden rum overnight. It gave this recipe a twist. It add color and that Molasses
taste to this recipe without the added sugar. And another batch I made a batch for a friend who wanted me to make her a batch this year. Fruity Rum Cake! This is truly my forever favorite recipe ! You can go wrong with this recipe!! Thank you.