German Fruit Cake | Holiday Fruit Cake
Ingredients
- 2 lbs candied mixed fruit
- 1/2 lb red candied cherries
- 1/2 lb green candied cherries
- 1 can crushed pineapple
well drained, 20oz
- 15.5 oz unsweetened apple sauce
- 3 tsp baking soda
mixed into the applesauce)
- 1 box seedless raisins
12oz
- 1/2 lb walnut meats
- 2 tsp allspice
- 2 tsp nutmeg
- 3 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 eggs
- 3 c sugar
- 2 sticks butter
- 4 c flour
Directions
- 1
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
- 2
Cream butter with electric mixer
- 3
Add sugar, cream well
- 4
Add spices and salt
- 5
Add eggs and beat well
- 6
Add the fruits, alternating with flour - the mixture will become VERY thick. You will need to switch to a heavy duty wooden spoon to mix
- 7
Stir in applesauce
- 8
Line tube pan or large bundt pan with wax paper
- 9
Fill pan 1/2 - 3/4 full
- 10
Bake around 3 hours, checking regularly around the 2 1/2 hour mark with a toothpick. When the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready
- 11
Let cool until you can carefully unmold the cake
- 12
*Optional: the original recipe calls for cherries and pineapple rings to be placed on top of the cake once it comes out of the oven. My mother-in-law does not do this
- 13
This recipe makes about 2 cakes! We baked 1 large bundt cake and 1 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pan with this recipe
German Fruit Cake | Holiday Fruit Cake
Similar Recipes
Ratings & Reviews
Be the First to Rate
Your rating helps others discover amazing recipes. Share your experience and let others know what you think!
About this Recipe
Ready to infuse your holidays with a taste of timeless tradition? This German Fruit Cake, a cherished family recipe passed down for over 70 years, promises a deeply satisfying experience perfect for the festive season.
What sets this Holiday Fruit Cake apart is its rich heritage and generous blend of ingredients. Crafted with an abundance of sweetened candied fruits, vibrant cherries, and aromatic spices, along with applesauce and baking soda, it creates a wonderfully dense and moist crumb that's a hallmark of beloved family recipes. This is a truly tried and true recipe, delivering authentic holiday flavor.
Prepare for a truly densely rich cake that bursts with the vibrant flavors of sweetened candied fruit—mixed fruit, bright red cherries, and vivid green cherries—balanced beautifully by the warmth of allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Each slice offers a delightful chewiness from the raisins and walnuts, creating a symphony of textures and tastes. While this traditional cake requires a significant commitment in the oven, with a cooking time of 180 minutes, the hands-on preparation is quite manageable at just 30 minutes, leading to a yield of 10 generous servings of pure holiday cheer.
While this recipe is a cherished family tradition, you can adapt it to your pantry. Feel free to use a different mix of candied fruit or adjust the ratio of red and green candied cherries based on your preference. For a subtle flavor difference, pecans can be used instead of walnuts, though walnuts contribute to the classic texture. The key is to maintain the overall quantity of fruit and nuts for that characteristic dense fruit cake texture.
This German Fruit Cake is an absolute must-make for your Christmas season celebrations. Serve thick slices alongside a warm cup of coffee or tea, or as a delightful dessert after a festive meal. It’s truly a centerpiece for holiday gatherings.