Fruitcake

A dense, rich cake packed with candied and dried fruit, nuts and warm spices, often soaked with brandy or rum and associated with the winter holidays.

Fruitcake: Slices of dark fruitcake studded with candied cherries, dried fruit and nuts
  • Cakes, cookies, pastries and baked goods

Also called: fruit cake

Fruitcake contains only enough batter to bind the fruit and nuts together. Candied cherries and citrus peel, raisins, currants and chopped nuts are common, and the fruit is often soaked in spirits or juice beforehand. Because the cake is so heavy, it bakes slowly at a low temperature, often in a pan lined with parchment.

Many traditional fruitcakes are made weeks ahead, wrapped and brushed with liquor from time to time so the flavors mellow. British Christmas cake is a fruitcake covered with marzipan and icing, and many countries have their own versions.

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Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

  1. Fruitcake (Q675987), Wikidata