White Fruitcake Recipe: Delicious and Moist
If you’ve ever been on the fence about fruitcake, this White Fruitcake Recipe is here to change your mind. Unlike traditional dark fruitcakes, this version is light, moist, and filled with naturally sweet dried fruits and crunchy nuts, all soaked in brandy for a rich, festive flavor. Perfect for holiday gatherings or as a heartfelt gift, this fruitcake will have everyone asking for the recipe!
I can no longer sit idly by while traditional values are being thrown asunder. Our global world and its people will only thrive if the bedrock is a firm and stable foundation. The foundation that our forefathers established was nourished by some essential ingredients, chief among those was… Fruitcake.
For too many years, our world has mocked fruitcake and ignored the important role this traditional holiday fare played in the success of our universe and its people. An old-fashioned family fruitcake recipe is a treasure destined to be passed along for generations; a light, moist fruitcake recipe is the stuff of holiday family legend.😉
Table of Contents
The Origins of this White Fruitcake
Both of my grandmothers baked fruitcake: one made a dark, spicy, rum-soaked fruitcake, while the other baked a lighter, fresher white fruitcake. I wanted to replicate the moist, lighter fruitcake recipe, hoping this delicious holiday treat would inspire you to include fruitcake in your holiday baking plans once again.
After searching all of Grandma’s recipes, my mom and I think that the original White Fruitcake recipe came from a 1961 edition of Betty Crocker’s New Picture Cookbook. It was the best fruitcake recipe I found, so I altered the original recipe only slightly. Truly, if you’re looking for an old-fashioned recipe for moist fruitcake just like the one Grandma used to make, this is the one.
No Artificially Dyed Fruit in This White Fruitcake
I don’t know about you, but I think the demise of fruitcake might have been related to the unnaturally colored red and green cherries that punctuated it.
My White Fruitcake recipe discards the glazed green and red cherries (along with the Red #40, Blue #5, and Yellow #1) for the completely natural dried cherries, white raisins, and candied fruit (candied citron, candied orange peel, and candied pineapple).
Soak Your Dried Fruits in Brandy For a Couple of Days
Before baking day, the fruits should spend a couple of days soaking in brandy to become plump and flavorful. A key to making a moist fruitcake is to allow the dried fruit to soften by fully absorbing the liquid. This ensures that the fruit remains moist and juicy during baking, preventing it from drawing moisture from the batter and drying out the cake.
A sprinkling of coconut, a handful of crunchy nuts, and BAM…Fruitcake Magic!
Tips for Success with White Fruit Cake!
- Soak the Fruit: Let the dried fruits soak in brandy or your chosen liquid for at least two days to ensure they’re plump and flavorful.
- Don’t Overmix: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until incorporated to avoid a dense cake.
- Use Quality Ingredients: Opt for unsulfured, natural dried fruits and fresh nuts for the best flavor and texture.
- Prep Your Pan: Butter and flour your baking pans thoroughly or use a quality non-stick spray to prevent sticking.
- Bake Low and Slow: Bake at a low temperature (275°F) to ensure even cooking and a moist texture.
- Wrap and Store: After baking, wrap the fruitcake in brandy-soaked cheesecloth, then plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator for the best flavor development.
- Re-Douse Regularly: If storing for weeks, re-soak the cheesecloth every 1–2 weeks to keep the cake moist and enhance the flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can use your favorite dried fruits like apricots, cranberries, or figs, and swap the nuts for pecans, walnuts, or almonds based on your preference.
Absolutely. Substitute the brandy with orange juice or apple cider to soak the dried fruits, ensuring they stay moist and flavorful.
You can bake this fruitcake up to 6 weeks ahead of time. Store it wrapped in brandy-soaked cheesecloth and plastic wrap in the refrigerator.
Properly stored, this fruitcake can last several months in the refrigerator or up to a year in the freezer. Keep it moist by re-soaking the cheesecloth regularly.
Yes. Consider Light or dark rum, Whiskey or Bourbon, Sherry, Grand Marnier, Amaretto, Port, Kirsch, Apple Brandy or Calvados. These liquors will all add a different flavor to your White Fruit Cake, so consider how you would like the finished fruitcake to taste.
What I Used for the Small Fruitcakes
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This Nordicware Bundt Quartet pan is the perfect size as I can bake 4 Fruitcakes simultaneously with this recipe. 
There were no problems whatsoever with the batter sticking to all the nooks and crannies of the pans. Just make sure you use a good baking release spray.
This Bundt pan has more than paid for itself. The ability to bake 4 gift-size fruitcakes at one time is priceless.
Grab these tags if you plan on gifting your White Fruitcake.
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Now, were we a disciplined family, we would have 9 White Fruitcakes set aside for gifting and eating this upcoming holiday. However, we have already consumed 4 of them, so…I’ll be baking more. But this really is an easy and delicious white fruit cake recipe. Just get your fruit macerating a day or two ahead of time and then the cakes come together very quickly.
So, my friends, it’s time to search your soul and decide whether you will join me on my Fruit cake Crusade! Together, all of us along with this wonderful, delicious, and moist white fruit cake recipe, we can…
And truthfully, a good old fashion moist and delicious white fruit cake is the perfect way to celebrate the holidays and makes perfect holiday gifts.
White Fruit Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 5 beaten eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups flour all-purpose
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1-2 cups brandy or cognac enough to cover your dried fruit
- 6 ounces white raisins
- 6 ounces dried cherries
- 3 ounces glazed citron
- 3 ounces glazed orange peel
- 2 ounces candied pineapple
- 2 cups pecans pistachios, almond slivers, chopped hazelnuts or walnuts, or a combination
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
- cheesecloth
Instructions
- A day or two before you want to bake your fruitcake, combine all the dried fruit and soak it in enough brandy or cognac to cover, in an airtight container or a large bowl that can be covered.
- Preheat oven to 275° F.
- Drain the dried fruit mixture, reserving the brandy/cognac to soak the fruitcakes (or use it to soak another batch of fruit…because you will want to make this again!)
- Butter and flour your pans; alternately, use Bak-Klene…this stuff is amazing. I used Nordic Ware 9-cup Bundt Quartet for the 4 small fruitcakes and a 10-inch Tube Pan or Bundt Pan for the large fruitcake. You could also use mini loaf pans for the smaller fruit cakes.
- Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside
- Beat butter and sugar together at high speed until fluffy, 3 minutes.
- Add beaten eggs to the cream butter mixture, and mix until fully incorporated.
- Mix orange juice and vanilla together in a separate bowl and set aside
- Add dry ingredients in 3 increments, alternating with the orange juice mixture at medium speed until just mixed. Don’t overmix.
- Gently fold in the fruit, nuts, and coconut.
- If using the mini bundt pans, spoon batter equally among the prepared pans or into the one larger bundt pan. Tap the pans on the counter to encourage the dough to settle into the crevices of the pans.
- Bake the small pans for 55-60 minutes and a large pan for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, for both the quartet pan and single bundt pan.
- Let cool on a wire cake rack for a couple of minutes and then invert the pan to let the cakes gently come out.
- Once cool, wrap the cakes in cheesecloth soaked in brandy and then wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Re-douse your fruitcake with the brandy every week or so to keep it moist.
Nutrition
Bookmark this page or pin the following image to add this White Fruitcake recipe to your Christmas baking repertoire.
And when you make this white fruit cake recipe, promise me you’ll pop back in and tell me how much you love it (‘cuz I know you will!) And leaving a star rating will help other fruitcake lovers find this recipe as well.
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Lynn, that cutting board was made for that fruit cake! I have not had a homemade fruit cake since my grandmother passed away. Your recipe looks perfect! I am ready to start my Christmas baking with this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Lynn, your fruitcake looks so yummy. I can literally see the moistness on the computer screen. Can’t wait to try this one. I have a lot of get togethers over the holiday season and this will be perfect to bring. Thanks!
Lynn, my granny made fruitcake and as I recall, the fruit came in a very compact little box. I loved it at the time! Not sure why people got so closed minded about fruit cake. I think this would really make my 78 year old dad smile. 🙂
Your photos are a work of art!
Lynn, I haven’t had fruitcake in years, but wow, these are so pretty. I think I’d like to try it again! And I love that you are using your new cutting board. Gorgeous!
It’s morning tea here so may I please have a slice, Lynn? Your cake looks absolutely delish!! And very awesome sitting up there on your stand that I LOVE!
I have always loved fruit cake. Each year my mom would make it famous cake which would be stored away for months! The older the tastier! I have gotten away from it, but starting to come back. You got me inspired to make onone this year! If i do have the time will use your recipe.
Hi Maria…I am so glad you’ll be baking some fruitcake this year…you won’t be sorry. It is such a festive dessert…just proclaims Christmas with every bite. Happy Thanksgiving my friend.
Hugs, Lynn
Ok, I just might give fruitcake a 2nd chance- as long as it’s this one! The white fruitcake looks scrumptious!
Oh Jeanne, you must! It is so very delicious…I have been passing it around and EVERYONE loves it! I’ll be more making more this week. Happy Thanksgiving my friend.
Lynn, I’m in whole-hearted agreement…let’s bring fruitcake back. Down with the fruitcake jokes! I’ve always loved it & have made some in the past. Yours looks heavenly, especially with the brandy soak!
Yeah Florence, you and I must join forces and start a Fruitcake Fan club! And lets face it, everything is better soaked in Brandy. Happy Thanksgiving my friend.
Hugs, Lynn
Your fruitcake looks delicious! It’s like you re-invented the fruitcake actually because it looks so moist. YUM!!
Thanks Randi…it is SOOOOO delicious. I’ll be making more this weekend as I”m giving it away as quickly as I make it. Thanks for visiting. Hugs, Lynn
Hey, I think fruitcake gets a terrible rap. I am up for trying this. It looks delicious!
Hey Libbie, You will absolutely love this fruitcake, as will everyone you give it to. Happy baking my friend.
Made it and loved it! Couldn’t find glazed fruit, so used dried pineapple and fresh lemon and orange zest. I soaked half for two weeks in brandy, left the others plain. Both were amazing! Making them again this year to give and also enjoy ourselves!
Hi Angie,
I am so thrilled you love this recipe as much as we do! You are ahead of me on getting them baked this year! Did you make full size or mini fruitcakes? And the recipe easily accomodates fruit substitutions…so glad you found a combination that works for you. Did the soaking make any difference? I’ve never made it without the brandy before.
Thanks again for chiming in with your review! Those reviews mean the world to me!
Merry Christmas, my friend.
Hugs,
Lynn
I will wrap it in the cheesecloth when cooked and cooled and douse with the fruited brandy liquid
This is a great gift to give for Christmas. It ships well also. So I am able to make it and ship it to family across the country.
I vote for you for top fruitcake! 🙂 All kidding aside, I made this last year and was going through my recipes and “rediscovered” it and cannot wait to make them this year. I even bought the fancy 4 mini bundt pan! YAY!
That’s me! A title I’ll gladly accept. Glad they are making it on your baking list again this year.
This is an amazing recipe! I’m so glad that it doesn’t have all of the artifical colors and those red and green cherries. It’s so good that this will definitely be our go-to recipe every year.
I have never made a fruitcake! Yours looks so beautiful and moist, I need to try making it this holiday season!
Oh Susan, you do! I do believe you will be hooked.
I’m totally in the fruitcake camp, and this was top notch! Thanks for the recipe!
Yay! Strength in numbers!
Oh wow! This looks SO good! Haven’t made one in a while, as I’m the only one that likes it in my family. That’s ok, I will have it allll to myself! My Mother used to make fruit cake from a recipe that HER Mother used to make, so been around a while! She also had a recipe
for no bake fruit cake that was to die for. Makes a TON of little slices, therefore, more for me!!! I am excited to try this recipe, thanks for posting!!!
Enjoy the recipe Barbara! But, I do think that if you family tries it, they may change their mind! It really is tasty.
Hugs, Lynn
I have never heard of white fruitcake, but this sounds seriously delicious! I cannot wait to try it for Christmas. I’m so glad I found this recipe!
Oh Susannah,
Once you try it, you will be hooked! Enjoy!
Thank you for the beautiful recipe.Have a Merry Christmas and Happ New Yer
You are so welcome! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Hugs, Lynn
Amazing! This recipe convinced those who said they did not like fruitcake that they were wrong. Everyone who had a slice (or several) had nothing but praise. Next year I’ll have to make 4 times as many as I did this year. And the recipe is so adaptable. I preferred dried cherries, berries, orange peel and apricots so that’s what I used. Thank you for bringing fruitcake back!!
Mary Carol,
Your words are music to my ears! Thank you for taking the time to write in. And I wholeheartedly agree…this recipe will change the mind of any fruitcake nay-sayer out there. What berries did you use?
Now we need to work on fruitcake being a year-round staple!
Many hugs, Lynn