Good Fruitcake Recipe (2024)

I used canned cherries and dried pineapple instead of the candied stuff, and fresh orange zest as suggested. I also added 2 Tbsp of bourbon to the batter. The result was the best fruitcake I've ever had. I halved the recipe to make just one cake, but next time I'll make a few full recipes to give as Christmas gifts!

The next time I make this recipe I will use rum instead of bourbon, and I will soak the fruit in rum overnight. I loved the texture and nuttiness of this fruitcake but the recipe disappointed a bit in the flavor department (compared to King Arthur's Everyone's Favorite Fruitcake Recipe). I will also substitute the much cheaper common prune for the Agens. Agen prunes are plump and delicious but that doesn't really come through in the end product here (in my opinion).

Made this on Christmas Eve, despite my family scoffing that fruitcake couldn't be good. They changed their minds, and I think it's delicious! Bought the ingredients from nuts.com (I forgot to order candied orange peel, so I used orange zest.). All the different types of nuts, along with the blend of dried and candied fruits, make this a special treat.

Using a giant bowl to mix the batter with nuts makes life a lot easier. Also, when pushing the batter into the pan, damp hands make the process less sticky. And finally, 3 9 x 5 bread pans can replace the two 9” springform pans.

This was just delish! I halved the recipe and made mini loaves. For anyone wondering, I cooked them for about 55 minutes. I poured orange liqueur on top and my husband, who hates fruit cake, keeps going back for more slices. I wasn’t sure if I should leave the nuts whole so I chopped them up a bit and they were perfect in the mini loaves.

Made this for my mother who loves fruitcake for Christmas. Next time I would halve the recipe because it makes two very large cakes and the ingredients cost $100! I had to use my largest salad bowl to mix it all up. However easy to make, and really was good. My mom thought was delicious, and I even thought it was good and I don't like fruitcake. All the nuts with the dates and prunes are really good. Came out looking just like the picture. Would make again.

I would use maple syrup instead of corn syrup (healthier). And I would use whole dates instead of pitted; that way you know if there is a pit missed; also, if you are gluten free pitted dates are sometimes packed in flour to keep them from clumping so that's another reason to use whole dates.

I used to make a fruitcake similar to this one. I made it in several sized loaf pans, from full to half to mini. We made it at Thanksgiving, wrapped it in layers of cheesecloth soaked in equal parts rum and brandy, then tightly wrapped it in plastic. After 3 weeks we unwrapped it, resoaked the cheesecloth, and wrapped it up again. By Christmas it was astonishingly good. Worth the effort.

I replaced the candied pineapple & cherries with dried fruits such as mangos and prunes-- and liberally used brandy instead of the pricier Armagnac. I served the cake with whipped cream atop each serving-- everyone loved it.Bon appétit...

I made this fruitcake yesterday. I found the amount of nuts in it was overwhelming. If I were to make it again I would reduce the amount of nuts so that I could taste the fruit in every bite.

I made this for the International Fruitcake Festival in Independence, CA. It won a prize for “most solids” and was delicious. I swapped dried apricots for the prunes, dried cherries instead of candied, and used Trader Joe’s candied walnuts and pecans instead of plain. Used extra bourbon. Better tasting than any energy bar on the market.

As a fruitcake purist, I made this with much anticipation. It was good, but the final product made me realize that I prefer a fruitcake that’s bound together by a small amount of cake rather than sugar. Eating this was a bit like chewing on hard caramel...super dense & chewy. So my search for the ultimate recipe continues. I bought all ingredients at an Amish grocery that buys in bulk and repackages everything at the store. Don’t know the final cost, but I would be surprised if it exceeded $50.

Fantastic! Didn’t have many of the ingredients so I replaced a few things—sour cherries and cranberries went in for the pineapples. Added nutmeg, cloves and allspice just because... it’s honestly one of those recipes that can be adapted many different ways and I suspect it will always be great. Keeper :-)

So there is no butter in the batter of this cake?

Good is a misnomer. Fantastic is the word. Hadn't had fruitcake in decades as either the taste/texture was wretched. And those candied cherries...gawd. Liked the flexibility here so gave it a try. Holy cow! Best fruitcake I've ever had bar none. Orange zest in place of candied oranges (a must), cashews instead of almonds, apricots in place of cherries, figs instead of prunes and dried mangos. Maple syrup instead of corn syrup and maple bourbon. Ms. Hesser, than you so much! Out of the ballpark.

And yes, I DO make it for myself. Thank you very much. It was delicious. I deserve it.

Made this at Christmas, half recipe because, only one spring pan and no humongous bowls. Then mixed another batch while the first one baked. Half a dozen batches since then, subbing in all kinds of fruit, papaya, kiwi, mango. And coconut. Batches are now about 2/3 instead of 1/2; added more flour and another egg, some vanilla too. Keeps very well in the fridge, sliced into 2-oz wedges. It’s now my main sweet, haven’t bought chocolate, cookies or ice cream in months.

Would love to send pictures

This recipe was well thought out and tested. I used parchment paper, as described, but used new buttered standard nine inch pie pans and buttered parchment. I formed the parchment to the buttered pans and, then, added the mixed ingredients. Once cooled to warm-to-the-touch, I was able to lift the edges of the parchment and the cake easily lift out with it. The elevation, 6,000 ft. 290°F. 12 min less time but I watched the browning of the surface, as suggested. Delicious. Perfect. Again.

I followed this recipe exactly. If your first time, I’d follow it before making any adjustments. And, yes, even the candied fruit and the same types of nuts. One sin, I chopped the nuts. Will rethink that the next time. I wouldn’t make into a loaf. Mix well. Pack well. Don’t let brown. Watch progress. The outcome was unlike any fruit cake I’ve enjoyed throughout my life. Stores well. Alone, cream cheese, whipping cream toppings. Keep wrapped in plastic. For gifts, yes. 6000 ft. 290°, -12 min.

Make sure your baking powder isn't over the hill -- ours was, and while it didn't spoil the result, it definitely didn't improve the baking. And the taste -- delicious and rich and quite superb. I used cognac (not super high-end either), and the fruit can mostly from nuts.com, cut still more finely and soaked in the cognac for two weeks in a cold garage. Made for spectacular results.

This was easy to prepare (my three-year-old granddaughter joined in), and the result was two fruitcakes I was proud to serve over Christmas. Next time, though, I'll try low or no-salt pistachios and let the cakes ripen for at least a few days before eating. Also, I used raisins instead of prunes, which turned out well. This delicious, albeit expensive, cake will definitely be on my family's roster of holiday desserts going forward.

Didn’t locate candies orange or cherry, so used candied mango and a ton of orange and grapefruit zest instead. Also skipped the booze at the end. By far the best fruitcake ever, so proclaimed even by folks who never touch the stuff!Next time I’m dropping prunes and adding candied papaya.

This recipe is awesome. The whole family has changed their opinion of fruit cake. You can decrease the qtys of nuts and fruit a bit if you want. Either way you can’t go wrong. Try to buy clearance fruit right after Christmas and save it for next year….the fruit can get expensive. One tip: you don’t need the parchment paper lining the bottom. You don’t need a spring loaded cake pan. Some canola spray is all you need. This cake basically falls out of the pan easily enough.

I have eaten only a commercial fruitcake once and disliked it intensely, My husband loves fruitcake, so for one of his Chanukah gifts (yes), I decided to try this recipe. IT.IS.AWESOME. He loves it and so do I. I think the trick to avoid crumblyness is to pack the mixture tightly into the springform or pans, something you would never do with regular cake batter. Thanks for this recipe!!!

Bake this in Mimi loaves and slice thin to serve on a charcuterie board

I’m considering making this and giving it away as a gift at Christmastime but am wondering if it would convert well to small loaf pans. Has anyone tried that? Thanks!

This recipe is gorgeous - it's a shame the photos don't include one of the cake cut into slices, because it's got a stained glass window quality that is stunning.I omitted prunes and almonds and simply subbed in more of the other mix-ins - I suspect you can be flexible if you have ingredients you like more than others (I wish I'd gone wild with the cherries, just as an example).I gave this to fruitcake-haters and lovers alike to rave review.

December 2021Excellent fruitcake. The small amount of batter was the selling point for me as I browsed recipes to try. I couldn't find Agen prunes anywhere (I live in Alaska) and didn't have time to order them from the Internet, so I substituted 8 oz. dried sweet cherries. I used dried pineapple instead of candied and the fresh orange zest since I do not like candied citrus peel. For the finish, I used Jameson whiskey. Everyone loved this. "Good Fruitcake' is definitely a keeper.

I cut the recipe in hand to make one cake. It came out fabulous and I will definitely make this again….soon!