Grandma’s Fruit Cocktail Cake Recipe

Clear out space on your list of favorite cake recipes — my easy fruit cocktail cake recipe is a winner!

Great as a dessert or a treat with coffee, this old fashion cake is made from scratch, no box mix needed! But that doesn’t mean it’s complicated. Far from it — this whole cake recipe, with a yummy butter sauce full of coconut and pecans, whips together in less than an hour! Grab that reliable childhood favorite, the canned fruit cocktail, and let’s get baking! This ain’t yo momma’s fruit cake recipes.

This was my grandma’s recipe, we also love her applesauce cake, coca-cola cake, Texas sheet cake, and banana cream pie!

What I Love About This Recipe

• Childhood nostalgia in every bite!
• Easy homemade goodness
• Packed with delicious crunches like coconut and pecans
• Everyone will LOVE this, guaranteed!

How To Make Fruit Cocktail Cake Recipe

1. Make the cake: Stir together all cake ingredients until well combined.
2. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake.
3. Make the topping: In a saucepan, add butter, brown sugar, sugar, evaporated milk, and vanilla.
4. Pour shredded coconut and pecans. Stir and continue to boil for a few minutes.
5. Pour over the hot cake and smooth evenly with an offset spatula.
6. Garnish: Top individual slices with Reddi Wip and cherries.

See the full instructions below.

Fruit Cocktail Cake Recipe + Ingredient Notes

• Mind your pan: You can use either a glass or dark pan with this recipe, but grease both before you add the batter. Don’t forget that cake in a dark pan may bake faster than a cake in a glass pan, so set your timer about 5 minutes earlier than the recipe calls for.
• Serving: This cake can be served at room temperature or warm. My family likes it best when it’s still oven-warm and ooey-gooey-moist. You can also pop leftover slices in the microwave or toaster oven to rejuvenate them!
• Icing: When I make this, I spend about 20 minutes in the kitchen. You can put the cake in the oven to bake, then come back later to make the glaze. But remember: it’s important you add the glaze to a hot cake! About 10 minutes before your cake is set to come out, place your glaze ingredients in your saucepan. You’ll want the ingredients to boil for about 1-2 minutes, then it’s ready to pour.
• Fruit Cocktail in Syrup: The simple chemistry of this cake just doesn’t work the same way if you use a fruit cocktail in juice. The fruit cocktail in syrup is important!
• Skip the Box: The reason I don’t use boxed cake mix in this particular recipe is that with the simplicity of this recipe, a mix doesn’t really seem like convenience at all! My recipe is quick, easy, and once you try it, you’ll never want to use boxed caked mixes again!
• Cherries: You’ll only use one can of fruit cocktail, so you know what that means – the kids are going to be fighting over those three maraschino cherries! To stop any arguments, keep a can of Reddi-Wip and a jar of maraschino cherries on hand. When it’s time to serve your cake, just add a dollop of whipped cream and one or two cherries. Crisis averted! This is sage advice handed down straight from my grandma Ada Margery!!!!

Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead

• How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? Sadly, no! I don’t recommend that you store the product of this recipe in the fridge. The cold air changes the texture of the icing, and I promise you won’t like it as much. But! It will do just fine on the counter for a few days.
• Can You Freeze This? Yes! The product of this recipe freezes up wonderfully. You’ll definitely want to fully thaw it and heat it up before you eat any leftovers — this cake just tastes so much better warm! You’ll be able to store this cake in the freezer for up to 3-6 months!
• Make-Ahead Tips: Honestly, there’s no way to speed up this baking process! The batter is already as quick as can be (just as easy as boxed mixes!) and the baking time is necessary for cake doneness. You can always make the cake ahead of an event though — it’ll keep just fine!
• Food Safety: Food safety is so important, so be sure to follow these freeze guidelines whenever you’re storing them!

Craving More Amazing Cake Recipes?

• Pineapple Sunshine Cake
• Butterfinger Cake (One of my Daddy’s Fav’s)
• Pig Pickin Cake
• Heaven On Earth Cake
• Strawberry Jello Cake
• Strawberry Sheet Cake

Craving more delicious recipes?

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Grandma's Fruit Cocktail Cake

Serve this old-fashioned Fruit Cocktail Cake up for dessert or invite your friends for coffee! Made from scratch, NO box mix needed!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Servings: 12 slices

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 can (16-ounce) fruit cocktail with syrup undrained

Topping:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar firmly packed
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
• 3/4 cup pecans chopped

Garnish:

• Reddi Wip
• maraschino cherries

Instructions

Cake:

• Adjust an oven rack to the medium position. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a 9X13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir together all cake ingredients until well combined. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Topping:

• Meanwhile, make the topping by combining all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Continue to boil, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Pour over the hot cake and smooth it evenly with an offset spatula. 

Garnish:

• Top individual slices of cake with a dollop of Reddi Wip and Maraschino cherries.

Fans Also Made:

• 
  Apple Coffee Cake
• 
  Easy Pineapple Sheet Cake Recipe
• 
  Easy Texas Sheet Cake Recipe
• 
  Strawberry Jello Cake

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Notes

1. Mind your pan: You can use either a glass or dark pan with this recipe, but grease both before you add the batter. Don’t forget that cake in a dark pan may bake faster than a cake in a glass pan, so set your timer about 5 minutes earlier than the recipe calls for.
2. Serving: This cake can be served at room temperature or warm. My family likes it best when it’s still oven-warm and ooey-gooey-moist. You can also pop leftover slices in the microwave or toaster oven to rejuvenate them!
3. Icing: When I make this, I spend about 20 minutes in the kitchen. You can put the cake in the oven to bake, then come back later to make the glaze. But remember: it’s important you add the glaze to a hot cake! About 10 minutes before your cake is set to come out, place your glaze ingredients in your saucepan. You’ll want the ingredients to boil for about 1-2 minutes, then it’s ready to pour.
4. Fruit Cocktail in Syrup: The simple chemistry of this cake just doesn’t work the same way if you use a fruit cocktail in juice. The fruit cocktail in syrup is important!
5. Skip the Box: The reason I don’t use boxed cake mix in this particular recipe is that with the simplicity of this recipe, a mix doesn’t really seem like convenience at all! My recipe is quick, easy, and once you try it, you’ll never want to use boxed caked mixes again!
6. Cherries: You’ll only use one can of fruit cocktail, so you know what that means – the kids are going to be fighting over those three maraschino cherries! To stop any arguments, keep a can of Reddi-Wip and a jar of maraschino cherries on hand. When it’s time to serve your cake, just add a dollop of whipped cream and one or two cherries. Crisis averted! This is sage advice handed down straight from my grandma Ada Margery!!!!

© Gonna Want Seconds. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media/website/blog is strictly prohibited.

Source: Gonna Want Seconds

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