Homemade Fruitcake Recipes

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If you have ever tried store bought fruitcakes, you can understand why making your own would be so much tastier. Even though I can remember eating fruitcake for the holidays when I was younger, and a thin slice was all we were allowed, I still prefer a simpler fruitcake with not so much fruit.

Also see Christmas breads and other Christmas Cakes

Easy Fruitcake

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1lb can of fruit cocktail
2 eggs
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup brown sugar

Sift flour, sugar, soda, and salt together. Add fruit, juice, eggs, and nuts. Beat for 3 minutes; pour into a greased 13x9 inch cake pan. Sprinkle brown sugar on top. Bake in a 325 oven for 50 minutes.
Butter sauce: 1 cup butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 2/3 cup evaporated milk, 1/2 t vanilla. Boil first 3 ingredients over medium heat for 7 minutes. Add vanilla. Serve hot over cake.
Recipe from a 1997 cookbook

See this easy recipe for Minnie's Fruitcake

Boiled Fruit Cake

2 cups raisins (white and regular)
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 can fruit cocktail

Mix all the ingredients in a pot except the fruit cocktail. Boil for 5 min. Just before removing pan from flame, add 2 tsp. baking soda dissolved in 1/2 cup of water. Now remove from heat and add the can of fruit cocktail. Let it cool. Have ready 4 cups of flour with 1 tsp. baking powder. Add to cooked mixture and beat very well. Add nuts or other fruit if desired. Bake 1 hour or until done in 375 oven. Use a tube pan.
Recipe from a 1963 church cookbook

Fruit Cake

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. each of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg
2 tsp. cocoa
8 oz applesauce
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisons
1 cup citrus fruit

First bring raisins to a boil. Set aside to cool. Sift dry ingredients together. Add applesauce. Lastly add nuts, fruit and cooked raisins. Bake in a loaf pan (greased) at 325 F about 1 hour 20 min.
Recipe from a 1963 church cookbook

Unbaked Fruitcake

Blender grate 1/2 cup nut meats and empty into mixing bowl. Blender crumb 24 graham crackers, 6 at a time, and empty crumbs into bowl. Into container put in order listed:

6 graham crackers
1/2 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup coarsely cut dried apricots
Cover and blend on high speed for 16 seconds. Empty into bowl. Into the blender put:

1/4 cup soft butter
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cloves

Cover and blend on high speed for 30 seconds, stopping to stir down if necessary. Add mixture to the crumb nut mixture. Stir in 1/2 cup raisins, 1/4 cup candied citron, and 1/4 cup quartered candied cherries. Mix thoroughly. Add 2 tablespoons rum. Pack into a 3-cup mold and refrigerate for 48 hours before serving.
Recipe from a 1961 church cookbook

Auntie Cotters Loaf Cake

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup raisins
1 tablespoon citron
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup Crisco melted

Mix dry ingredients, add remaining ingredients and mix well. Bake 45 minutes in 350 F oven. Cool and pour over 1 tablespoon Brandy. When cake is cold, frost with confectioners sugar moistened with a little milk, just to spread. This mix can be mixed with a spoon and does not need an electric mixer.
Recipe from a 1963 church cookbook

Dark Fruit Cake

2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
2 cups water
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp salt
1 cup raisins
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 lb dates
1/2 lb mixed candied fruit
1 cup walnuts

Boil sugar, shortening, water, cinnamon, cloves, salt and raisins for 5 min. Let cool, sift together flour and soda and dredge dates and fruit in flour mixture and add walnuts. Mix thoroughly. Line bread pans with brown paper and pour mixture in. Bake at 275 degrees for 2 hours.

White Fruit Cake

Traditional and time-consuming but a Farm Journal 5 star recipe

2 lbs. white raisins, chopped
2 c. orange juice
4 1/2 c. sifted cake flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 lb. diced candied cherries
1 lb. diced candied pineapples
1/2 lb diced preserved citron
1/4 lb. diced candied lemon peel
1/4 lb. diced candied orange peel
1 lb. almonds blanched and slivered
2 c. butter or margarine
2 1/4 c. sugar
8 to 10 medium eggs (1lb)
1 fresh coconut, grated or shredded

*Wash raisins; chop. Combine with 1 c. orange juice; let stand overnight. Save 1 1/2 c. flour to mix with candied fruit and nuts. Sift remaining 3 c. with baking powder and salt. Mix candied fruit and nuts with 1 1/2 c. flour. Cream butter, add sugar; beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
*Gradually add dry ingredients, beating after each addition. Add coconut, floured fruit and nuts, raisins, and remaining orange juice. Beat well.
*Divide batter evenly in 2 well greased 9" or 10" tube pans. Bake in a very slow oven at 250 about 2 1/2 hours, or until done.
*Or bake in 4 greased, paper-lined 9x5x3" pans at the same temperature and for same length of time.
*Cool 30 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Wrap in waxed paper or aluminum foil; store in airtight container in a cool place or freeze.
Recipe from a 1959 Farm Journal Country Cooking Cookbook

Note: To prepare fresh coconut, pierce eyes of shell with ice pick; drain out milk. Heat in a moderate oven (350) 30 minutes. Cool, break shell-meat falls free. Peel off all the crisp brown skin. Grate or shred.

How to Make Candied Orange Peel

Here's a recipe that tells you how to make candied orange peel.

Also see Christmas Cakes

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