Grandma’s Fruitcake Recipe – Delicious Heirloom Recipe

The story behind Grandma’s Fruitcake Recipe

My husband’s Grandma, Elizabeth, would make this fruitcake at Christmas, package it with great care, freeze it, and mail it to loved ones. My husband and his siblings remember receiving Grandma’s fruitcake in the mail (all the way from British Columbia, Canada, to North Dakota!), and what a special treat that was.

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Grandma Elizabeth lived until just a few months before her 103 birthday. My husband, Paul, and I were married right around the time she celebrated her 100^th birthday (her birthday celebration coincided with our honeymoon!), but by then, she was no longer making and sending out fruitcakes at Christmas, so I never got to taste hers.

Thankfully, she had passed down her recipe to her daughter, my husband’s mom, Esther. A few years ago, I decided to be brave and try the recipe, and I’m so glad I did! I have made some minor alterations to the recipe (such as dried cranberries instead of dried currants). Still, the basic recipe remains the same, and everyone who has tried both fruit cake recipes says, “This tastes just like Grandma’s!” which is the best compliment I could receive.

This fruitcake is surprisingly simple to make and addictingly delicious. The only ingredient that may be a bit tricky to find is the candied fruit mix, but I have always been able to find it at our local Walmart. It also freezes well, so you can keep some on hand if it is only sold seasonally in your area.

What Ingredients are in Grandma’s Fruitcake Recipe?

• 1 cup of butter
• 1 ½ cups sugar (I like to use Morena sugar)
• 5 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon maple OR rum extract
• 1 teaspoon each cinnamon and ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 cup molasses OR honey OR maple syrup
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 2 cups sweetened dried cranberries
• 2 cups raisins
• 2 cups candied fruit mix (likely labeled “fruit cake mix” or “fruit and peel mix”)

How to Make to Grandma’s Fruitcake Recipe

Move one oven rack to the lowest rack, and the other rack to the middle rack. Place an oven-proof bowl with 2 cups of water on the bottom rack. Heat the oven to 300°.   Line two standard loaf pans with parchment paper. Spray the parchment with cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together, then add the eggs, milk, flavorings, spices, salt, and syrup, and stir vigorously until well combined.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder. Stir in the dried fruits and fruit mix until well combined. Make a well in the center and then pour in the creamed mixture. Stir gently together until the flour mixture is fully incorporated but don’t overbeat.

Divide the batter between both pans. Dampen your fingers with water, then carefully smooth out the batter.

Place the pans in the oven, and bake for approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Lift bread from the pan using the parchment paper, and let cool on a rack. Once the bread is completely cool, wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil, label and freeze if desired (I find that freezing and then thawing the bread enhances the flavors, but it is really good to eat fresh from the oven, too!).

Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Fruitcake Recipe

Cara

This homemade fruitcake is surprisingly simple to make and addictingly delicious. The only ingredient that may be a bit tricky to find is the candied fruit mix, but I have always been able to find it at our local grocery store.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Cooling Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Canadian

Servings 2 loaves

Calories 272 kcal

Equipment

• 2 loaf pans
• Parchment paper

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup butter, softened (two sticks)
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 5 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon maple OR rum extract
• 1 teaspoon each cinnamon and ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 cup molasses OR honey OR maple syrup
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 2 cups sweetened dried cranberries
• 2 cups raisins
• 2 cups candied fruit mix likely labeled “fruit cake mix”

Instructions

 

• Move one oven rack to the lowest position and the other rack to the middle of the oven. Place an oven-proof bowl with 2 cups of water on the bottom rack. Heat the oven to 300°. Line two standard loaf pans with parchment paper. Spray the parchment with cooking spray and set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together, then add the eggs, milk, flavorings, spices, salt, and syrup and stir vigorously until well combined.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder. Stir in the dried fruits and fruit mix until well combined. Make a well in the center and then pour in the creamed mixture. Stir gently until the flour mixture is fully incorporated, but don't over-mix.
• Divide the batter evenly between both pans. Dampen your fingers or a spatula with water, then carefully smooth out the batter.
• Place the pans in the oven, and bake for approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• Lift the fruitcake from the pan using the parchment paper and cool on a baking rack. Once the fruitcake is completely cooled, wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Label the fruitcake and freeze for up to 3 months, if desired.

  The fruitcake can also be eaten as soon as it is cool enough to slice…but beware: once you start, you may not be able to stop. It is that yummy!

Notes

1. The rich flavor of the fruitcake is enhanced by freezing and then thawing it before eating it but eating it fresh from the oven is also really good! Because this fruitcake freezes so well, it makes an excellent Christmas treat to prepare ahead of time or to give as gifts.
2. We all know that fruitcake sometimes gets a bad rap; you’ve probably heard the joke that the only good thing about fruitcake is that it makes a great doorstop. Well, not all fruitcake recipes are created equal, and this fabulous alcohol-free, old-fashioned homemade fruitcake has changed a lot of people’s minds about the classic Christmas treat! 😊

Keyword Cookies, Candy Canes, Christmas Baking, Easy Cookies, Heirloom recipes, Homemade Fruitcake, Non-alcoholic

Enjoy!

P.S. Fruitcake and eggnog make a delicious holiday snack served together!