Do you like it or dislike it? I’ve never liked fruitcake. My grandma used to make them or maybe she made them when she was a little girl and saved them and every year at Christmas she brought one out. I never knew anyone who liked fruitcake and thought people just ate it to be nice. Ugh! Those green cherries that didn’t taste like cherries at all. I think that’s what really turned me off.
Last year one of the guys who works with Vince told Vince about a really great fruitcake at the grocery store and Vince ran out and bought one (or was it a dozen?) and he opened one and he ate it and raved about it and insisted I try it and it was just like every other fruitcake I had ever tasted . . not so good!
CJ has kept me in trouble almost since I first found her blog. But when she mentioned that she had a really good fruitcake recipe, I thought . . Finally . . there’s something CJ has done that I have no desire to do! But she kept on talking about the fruitcake and she would make one and they would eat the whole thing. No one can tolerate a whole fruitcake so I decided I would make a batch, which actually makes three cakes.
See that little puddle? The fruitcake has just gotten a bath in brandy . . brandy that had the dried fruit marinating. Yum!
As soon as they came out of the oven, I called the guy who works with Vince and told him I was bringing him something. Since he loves fruitcake . . really, he does . . I figured I’d let him do the taste test. He and his wife both told me it was good and asked for the recipe so I sent them the link to CJ’s recipe.
Can you look at this slice and see how good it is? I think we have a new holiday tradition.
And, there are no green cherries! Even if you think you don’t like fruitcake, you might want to try CJ’s recipe. It’s really good!
Annie says
I absolutely love fruitcake, any kind, all kinds, my dh does too. Yes, that does look yummy!
Karen Langseth says
My mommy in law makes fruitcake….she is 89….I think I’m going to use it as a door stop!!!!
Karen Langseth says
I forgot to add, she was part of the temperance movement!!!!
Ray says
I love fruitcake and have since I was a little girl. My mom always made a big production of making them – she’d start early. I don’t know what she did but parts would have to sit, then the whole thing would have to sit. Then we could eat it. Yum!!! I don’t make them and can be a real snob about what is *good,* but I love fruitcake.
Katie z says
Yuck! is all I can think. For me, it’s mostly a texture problem.
Liz says
My recipe for fruit cake has become taking my recipe for banana cake and adding walnuts, dates, raisins and cranberries. YUM!
liz in OK says
The Pioneer Woman has a recipe for fruitcake cookies:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/12/festive-fruitcake-cookies/
I also make a fruitcake cookie, so I am going to compare recipes and try this new one. But, it is fun to use other dried fruits, not the candied fruit that you normally see at this time of year.
Gwen says
I’m a fruitcake lover! DH bought me one at a bakery that has been doing them and shipping them for many years. It’s been seasoning since late Septembe. It just may be time to cut it next week. My Mom and I enjoyed many cups of tea with fruitcake and I will miss her sorely each time I have a slice. I will be baking some soon. Mind don’t have to cure! I also want to try the cookie recipe posted on Pioneer Woman.
Linda Steller says
The store-bought ones are usually really icky, but when made with real dried fruit instead of cardboard infused with FD&C#40 coloring, etc., they can be great! This looks like a wonderful recipe. The family might enjoy this for the holidays and, since they plan on descending upon me, perhaps I’ll whip some up. I can no longer eat more than a bite of cake, but I might be able to swig some brandy! ;P
Anna McD says
I don’t eat raisins so fruitcake is out for me. My folks eat Claxtons…UGH…they swear they like it.
CJ says
Judy I’m so glad you liked it! I could live on this stuff, if it weren’t so expensive to make, I’d eat it everyday for breakfast! LOL
Connie says
This recipe looks like it might be pretty good. My mom used to make fruitcake cookies, and although I didn’t like fruitcake, I liked the cookies. I haven’t had them in years, but I can taste them as I type. Might need to get Mom to dig out that recipe so I can make some.
Connie says
This recipe looks like it might be pretty good. My mom used to make fruitcake cookies, and although I didn’t like fruitcake, I liked the cookies. I haven’t had them in years, but I can taste them as I type. Might need to get Mom to dig out that recipe so I can make some.
Connie says
This recipe looks like it might be pretty good. My mom used to make fruitcake cookies, and although I didn’t like fruitcake, I liked the cookies. I haven’t had them in years, but I can taste them as I type. Might need to get Mom to dig out that recipe so I can make some.
ursula says
Hubby and I LOVE fruitcake! Homemade is best. My SIL’s grandma always made an extra one for me and I’d stash half in the freezer so I could enjoy some all year round.
Toni says
As a kid growing up I never liked fruitcake and yes, it was the green stuff that did it for me. But as an adult I like to be open minded and last year I tried a fruitcake that is sold locally, in small loaves, made by a local woman and it was great! I mean great! I’m the only one that ate it but I had to purchase 3 small tins. Just for me! This year I only bought two loaves. I’ll may try this recipe or I may just treat myself once a year to Connie’s fruitcake,
Becky I. says
As I rule I don’t like fruit cake BUT my MIL made one that I loved. It doesn’t have in liquor and you put it in a cold oven then turn the oven on. We eat it right out of the oven and it is wonderful. When she passed away I found her recipe and asked for it. Since none of the other kids liked it they glady gave it to me. Now my FIL lives with us and I make him one (or two) every year. We’ve already eaten one this year and I going to make another one in a week or so. Your recipe sounds yummy with the dried fuit in it hers uses the red and green candied cherries and candied pineapple.
Cynthia H., El Cerrito, CA says
I make fruitcake. My in-laws (lateral and vertical), siblings, friends, etc., all LOVE it. Even when I make a double batch–very difficult due to the stiffness of batter which consists mostly of dried fruit and nuts with just enough eggs and flour etc. to hold it together while hand-stirring it–there just isn’t enough to give everyone a second fruitcake!
My health didn’t allow me to make fruitcake for about six years. Then, two years ago, I had the energy to make it.
I kid you not: three of my recipients shed tears of joy (!) when the fruitcakes showed up. That made it very worthwhile. 🙂
This year, no fruitcake. I have hopes of next year, though. Just as soon as any one of them asks for the recipe, s/he will receive it! There’s no “family secret” to this, as far as I know. My mother gave the recipe to me when I left home for college (at 16, I had already lived at home toooo long), and my whole adult life, people have said, “Oh my God. This fruitcake is GOOD!” as if–and it may be true–they’ve never had edible fruitcake.
Very sad.
ruth anne says
Would you share your recipe with me? I love all fruitcake.
Lynley says
I have never liked fruitcake and, like you, thought that nobody else possibly could as well! My husband loves it so we had a two-tier wedding cake – chocolate for me and fruitcake for him!
Helen says
Wow, I can’t believe I have forgotten to make a Christmas cake! Traditionally in England Christmas cake is a fruit cake. I have the spice stored in the freezer. I use my Grandmother’s recipe which is so simple pretty much all I have to do is look up the cooking temperature and time. I have heard all the jokes about fruitcake since we moved to the States so I don’t ever offer my cake to anyone. One year, though my friends spotted it and wanted to try it. They accused me of holding out on them, they liked it so much.
Tomorrow I will have to get the dried fruit and then pick it over to get out the stalks etc, then soak in brandy. It’s going to smell a lot like Christmas around here on Monday!
Chris says
I love it. Dan, not so much. So as much as I’d love to make CJ’s recipe, I know who’d eat it all and gain twenty pounds!! If you lived closer, or CJ did, I’d go to your house and eat some. 🙂
Jody Edwards says
The only fruitcake I like is the line of fabris for moda called Fruitcake! LoL
Sandy says
I never liked fruitcake because most have that horrible citrus and terrible cherries in them. Yuck! CJ’s recipe looks good to me though! She used dried fruits that I like. I think I’ll save the recipe and give it a try!
QandleQueen says
I never liked fruitcake either, but hubby likes it so I ventured out and found a recipe last year. It was a hit. People at work even raved about it – same thing, everyone hates fruitcake, but they loved the one I made. And no, there are no neon green cherries.
My fruit is soaked and I plan on making the cake tomorrow. I’ll check out your recipe to see how different it is from the one I found. Kind of sad that fruitcake has gotten such a bad rap. I mean a cake loaded with alcohol ought to be delicious. Hopefully if enough of us make the good type we can overcome years of ridicule and prejudice. Ooooohhhhh… a mission!
Kathy in GA says
I’m not a fan of candied fruit, but in the past have made two different fruitcake recipes, one of my sister’s, and one from an old Bon Appetit…and then of course there is always Apricot Brandy Poundcake! Yum, can’t wait to start my Christmas baking…after some sewing to finish up!
Karen Sutton says
I love fruitcake – but I agree with you about the green cherries. I looked at CJs recipe – I think I’m going to have to try this one. It looks good and easy (that’s the most important criteria for me).
carol c says
i didnt relaly like my moms when she made them when I was little.
Now at 60, for the past 5 years, i crave it
can I find a good one-no
like hers I mean
i dont know if she used brandi, or run or whiskey either
but i know she used something!
how I wish i could have some of hers
but one day I might try this receipe-thanks Judy
June Piper-Brandon says
Judy, I love fruitcake. My son, Ryan, loves fruitcake too. My Mom used to make the best fruitcake ever. It was a light fruitcake with the yucky green and red cherries (I like them) and I used to look forward to it every year. Last week I bought a small Claxton fruitcake and Ryan and I have eaten the whole thing now, he asked me when I was going to get another one. I miss my Mom’s fruitcake and my Dad’s home made bread, amongst other things.
Lee Ann L. says
I could take it or leave it. However, my brother loves fruitcake and this will be the first year my Mother will not be able to make it. I’m going to try Pioneer Woman’s fruitcake cookies to see how they turn out. If they do, I’ll make more for brother for Christmas.
owlfan says
I don’t like the traditional fruitcake with all that candied fruit, but my DH makes a wonderful fruitcake – like Cynthia H. – its LOTS of dried fruit and nuts with just enough flour to hold it together. He made one over Thanksgiving and it is soaking now. I can’t wait to get a slice. I especially like it with eggnog.
Kathy C says
I never liked fruitcake. Never tasted one that was any different then the last.
Growing up my dad used to make German stollen for Christmas.
When my husband was traveling to Germany on a regular basis for work he used to bring back Christollen for the holidays.
Now I buy it at the German deli.
Wish I had a good recipe for it, I might even try to make it.
Linda in NE says
There’s a recipe in a 40-yr. old Betty Crocker cookbook called something like “Jeweled Fruitcake” that I like. Instead of the red/green candied cherries I use Maraschino cherries (just the red ones) and canned pineapple chunks instead of the dried pineapple. Turns out TOO good and I eat way to much so I haven’t made it for a few years…….but have fond memories of it. LOL
Elizabeth says
Judy, while at the fruitcake site I saw a wonderful recipe for almond danish. Take a look. Have fun and thanks
Diann Smith says
I don’t really like fruitcake but my mother used to make one that took 30 days and was white. Why spend so much time on something that disappears in five bites a slice?
Robin says
This reminds me of a recipe my mom used to make called “Golden Fruitcake” I think. It was the only fruitcake I would ever eat.
Bon says
I happen to love fruitcake. In fact, I can’t remember more than one that I didn’t like. My grandmas and mom used to make them and I loved them. I’ve had boughten ones and I love them. A few years ago, I found a place in TX called Collins Bakery and I ordered one from them. OH MY!!! Maybe someday I’ll have to try making them.
Terry says
What kind of dried fruit did you use in your fruitcake? CJ listed what she used so I was just wondering what you used. I think it makes a big difference in the final product. My husband loves fruitcake so I was thinking of giving this a try. Terry
Connie in Louisiana says
A good fruitcake is the food of the Gods!! Both my husband and myself love it. Was looking for a recipe, and you have one there just waiting. THANKS As a child, my grandmother would give us a small slice with a tiny little glass of sweet red wine at Christmas time. Good memories. Thanks again for pointing out the recipe.
Elaine says
My grandma made wonderful fruitcake! It was our longstanding Christmas tradition for her to make one for every one of her kids and grandkids familys. It was a sad, sad year that first Christmas without granny’s fruitcake! Me and my dad used to always try to get to it first and hide it from the other. One year, I got the fruitcake which she always wrapped in foil and then plastic wrap, and I took a brick and wrapped it just like the way she did the cakes. I was able to pull that one off on Dad, but I thought he was gonna cry or smack me when he opened it up!! Thanks for the memory!