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Home » Recipes » Cake Recipes

Fruit Cake Recipe {Best in the World!}

Published: Sep 14, 2024 · Updated: May 7, 2025 by Marye

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! This recipe makes 2 (5x9-inch) loaves in about 2 hours.
Total time for the recipe to be finished.Total Time 2 hours hours
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Closeup of a slice of fruitcake on a plate.
Overhead view of fruitcake with title text overlay for Pinterest.

First published December 22, 2011. Last updated May 7, 2025 for editorial improvements.

Table of Contents
  • 🎥 Watch and cook: step-by-step video tutorial
  • 🗝️ Key takeaways
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 🧾 Ingredients notes
  • 🔪 How to make this fruitcake recipe
  • Marye's Tips
  • 🥫 Leftover love: how to store fruitcake
  • 📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
  • 💬 Comments

🎥 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.

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Reader Review
This is the fruitcake of my dreams!!Thank you for sharing another great recipe Marye. I think this will make the table for my birthday also.
Jenine

🗝️ 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

Closeup of a slice of fruitcake on a plate.

Old Fashioned Fruitcake Recipe

4.69 from 438 votes
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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! This recipe makes 2 (5x9-inch) loaves in about 2 hours.
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

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

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. 
  • 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.
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.

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.

Labeled ingredients for fruitcake.
  • 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

Candied fruit, dates, and chopped nuts mixed together in a large bowl.

Mix chopped pecans, dates, and candied fruit.

Dry ingredients mixed in.

Add in sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.

Eggs being mixed in to the dried fruit and flour mixture.

Whisk eggs and vanilla together. Mix into the fruit mixture.

Fruitcake mixture being pressed down into loaf pans ready to be baked.

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!

Download more free tips, faqs, and storage info.

🥫 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

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⏲️ 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

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  2. 50 Best Red Velvet Recipes because what's Christmas without red velvet? Seriously!!
  3. 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!
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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.

A sliced fruitcake on a cutting board.

Don't lose this recipe!

Pin to your favorite Pinterest board to keep it handy.

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About Marye

Meet Marye Audet, a wizard in the kitchen and a storyteller at heart. Marye is like your eccentric but fun aunt who knows all the secret recipes and isn't afraid to spill them.

Comments

    4.69 from 438 votes (371 ratings without comment)

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  1. Nelly Narváez Rivera says

    December 23, 2024 at 12:42 am

    5 stars
    Tried this recipe last year and it was perfectly !!!! Once l had a bite of this cake , l remembered how great it was for the Holidays. It's not Christmas without this fruit cake!!! I remembered when my Mom used to purchase it from a mayor retail store back in the day through a JCP catalog. And it was delicious and expensive. This recipe worked exactly as written, I honestly was very impressed by the taste thanks! Some prefer a more cakey version but this was the best cake recipe ever!!! This year I made two versions of this cake. I just made a batch for a friend with a twist; I add cranberries, golden and dark raisins with a kick, l hydrated the cranberries and raisins in golden rum overnight. !!!!
    Fruity Rum Cake!!!!!

    Reply
  2. Gaylord Paumen says

    December 22, 2024 at 5:55 pm

    I like orange zest in food so I added 8oz. of candied orange peel. This recipe will be made every year until I die. This is so good. The best

    Reply
  3. Shirley McDonald says

    December 22, 2024 at 9:25 am

    My fruitcake turned out good but crumbley? Can it be saved

    Reply
    • Marye says

      December 30, 2024 at 10:11 am

      You could try brushing it with Bourbon and wrapping in a bourbon soaked cloth for 24 hours at room temperature.

      Reply
  4. Christi Stephenson says

    December 21, 2024 at 9:54 pm

    5 stars
    Wonderful recipe. I recommend it.! It’s a keeper recipe! Thanks for sharing.❤️

    Reply
  5. Brenda says

    December 20, 2024 at 6:05 pm

    My first try at baking fruit cake. I baked in two 6 inch Bundt pans and one 8 inch loaf pan for 1 hour and 10 minutes. I regret not watching the video before making the cake. Learned I should have pressed down with my hand to pack ingredients into baking pan. However the cake is Absolutely amazing! Just not as condensed result as could have been. I’m definitely going to add this recipe to my annual Christmas baking. Thanks for sharing your mom’s recipe.

    Reply
  6. Judi Kitchen says

    December 16, 2024 at 3:33 pm

    THANK YOUUUUU for this recipe!!!!! I found this recipe in Family Circle about 1969 - 1970!!!!! I have been unable to find it since. And, you are SOOO right - people who HATE fruitcake LOVE this !!!!
    (Your mom is probably MY age!!!!) Thanks to both of you !!!!!

    Reply
    • Marye says

      December 16, 2024 at 4:24 pm

      Hi Judi - I'm 64 and my mom would be over 100 years old if she was still alive...LOL!!! I am so glad to have helped.

      Reply
  7. Denise says

    December 16, 2024 at 1:52 pm

    5 stars
    Really good fruit cake. I love fruit cake and this was my first time making one💚❤️💚

    Reply
  8. B Ban says

    December 11, 2024 at 9:12 pm

    5 stars
    My family loved this!

    Reply
  9. Nancy Scott says

    December 11, 2024 at 9:39 am

    5 stars
    Excellent recipe!! Added walnuts, citrus peel, and spices for my taste. Best fruitcake I’ve ever had!!❤️

    Reply
  10. Susan Secord says

    December 10, 2024 at 8:27 am

    I made the fruitcake and a huge success. The only problem I had was trying to use who dates since I couldn’t find chopped at 3 different stores. The whole dates, even though pitted, had so many small nut fragments. I finally threw them out to the birds and left them out completely. The fruitcake was delicious anyway and have requests for more.
    So today is fruitcake day. Thanks for the great recipe.

    Reply
    • Marye says

      December 10, 2024 at 4:32 pm

      You can usually get diced dates on Amazon. Glad it worked for you!

      Reply
  11. Carrie Young says

    December 10, 2024 at 8:05 am

    5 stars
    Growing up, my mom always had a Collin Street Bakery fruitcake for the holidays and it is the only one I liked that is until now. This recipe blew that fruitcake out of the water!! It is so delicious!!!!! Thank you for sharing this gem!

    Reply
    • Carol says

      December 13, 2024 at 12:38 pm

      5 stars
      Do you check the fruitcake w/a knife/toothpick for doneness?

      Reply
  12. Carol says

    December 08, 2024 at 11:45 am

    5 stars
    I made this recipe 2 years ago and loved it as well as my family. But I have had a difficult time finding where I put the recipe card! Thankfully I guessed it was from an Italian daughter but then recognized the title Restless Chipotle! This is by far the best tasting fruitcake my family has ever eaten.

    Reply
    • Susan says

      December 09, 2024 at 6:00 pm

      I can’t wait to try this recipe!

      Reply
  13. Marieta M Baliwas says

    December 01, 2024 at 10:51 am

    May I ask why there’s no butter in this recipe?

    Marie

    Reply
    • Marye says

      December 02, 2024 at 10:21 am

      Because it's never called for butter and butter is unnecessary in this particular recipe.

      Reply
  14. Bill says

    November 29, 2024 at 10:42 am

    5 stars
    This has to be the best fruitcake EVER. Almost no cake, just enough to hold the fruit together. My oven temp might be off, it took about 15 minutes more. But at 250, the extra time isn’t a big deal. I had taken the cakes out of the oven, turned one out and removed the parchment, but it was still gooey. Put it back in the oven (upside down on a sheet pan) and baked it another 15 minutes and it was perfect. In the future, I will just give it two hours from the start. But it is AWESOME!!!

    Reply
  15. Betty says

    November 19, 2024 at 5:57 pm

    5 stars
    My mother used to make a fruit cake and wrap it in a cheesecloth with alcohol for a couple of weeks do you know if that would work on this recipe that you have has anyone tried it thank you

    Reply
    • Marye says

      November 20, 2024 at 6:30 am

      I've never tried.

      Reply
  16. Robin says

    November 13, 2024 at 4:55 pm

    5 stars
    Excellent recipe, so delicious! Easy to make. You can even change dried fruits up a little bit. Love this recipe!

    Reply
  17. mickie says

    November 11, 2024 at 3:21 pm

    Ilove fruitcake. My mom used to make 12 fruitcake at a time once a year. It would always be on the desert menu.It was great with vanilla ice cream. haven't had one as good yet. can't wait to try yours.

    Reply
    • Adam says

      December 22, 2024 at 4:57 pm

      4 stars
      It was the exact texture I was looking for. Chewy and moist.
      However, I found it pretty bland. I used the candied fruit and I couldn't get much flavor from the pineapple. I'm going to try it again but I'm going to toss the candied fruit with a little citric acid to see if I can coax a little brightness out of it and also add some spices. Cinnamon and ginger would, I think, play nicely with the cherries and I think would add the warmth I found myself wanting.

      Reply
  18. M Rogers says

    November 07, 2024 at 8:30 am

    This is the exact recipe that my grandmother made. It’s from the 1954 Women’s Day magazine. These loaves were gold in our family, being shipped around the country. Once cooled, they can be tightly wrapped in several layers of plastic wrap and frozen. They are great for Easter too!
    Mom and I like our slices toasted with peanut butter.

    Reply
  19. Cindy Spach says

    November 05, 2024 at 7:41 am

    I tried this recipe because I had some macerated dried fruit leftover from fruit cakes I baked for Christmas. For years I have used a famous fruitcake recipe from the UK but I have to say after making yours I think I found myself a new fruitcake recipe that is a lot simpler and holds together so much better. I do have one question - if I make this fruit cake now in the first week of November and wrap it in parchment and foil and place in an airtight container, will it stay fresh till Christmas?

    Reply
    • Marye says

      November 05, 2024 at 7:43 am

      Cindy, I have to be honest - it doesn't last more than 2 or 3 days here because no one can stay away from it. I think it would be fine wrapped and refrigerated because there's SO much sugar involved but since I've never done it I can't really say.

      Reply
    • Tish Pierce says

      November 08, 2024 at 10:00 am

      Can different things be added to the recipe, such as shredded coconut and candied orange slices?

      Reply
      • Marye says

        November 08, 2024 at 11:56 am

        I've never tried.

  20. Jan M Carkin says

    October 13, 2024 at 1:45 pm

    Hello
    I'd like to make this in mini-loaves. If a quick bread takes 45 minutes and muffins 25, would you cut this bake time using the same formula?

    Reply
    • Marye says

      October 14, 2024 at 9:36 am

      Yes but you'll want to check it often. If it over-bakes it will be very dry. I have never made mini loaves so I can't tell you exactly how it will work.

      Reply
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Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

Hey Y'all, I'm Marye

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

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