When most people see a fruitcake, or even just hear the word fruitcake, there is an automatic cringe reaction. Fruitcake is the holiday dessert that somehow always ends up in your house, but you don’t know how. It infiltrates your house and there’s basically no expiration date on it, so it sits there forever.
A classic fruitcake contains dried fruits, nuts, sometimes a little splash of booze, and a mixture of holiday spices. It’s not the most appealing dessert to look at, but luckily the creative people of the world are on a mission to change this. The recipes below will turn your idea of fruitcake on its head in the most delicious way.
1. Fruitcake Cookies
One of the big reasons why fruitcake makes people feel uneasy is the way it’s presented. Fruitcake cookies fix that problem because everyone is happy to see any kind of cookie (except when you think a cookie is chocolate chip and it’s actually oatmeal raisin) .
2. Fruitcake Muffins
Fruitcake is usually a dense, heavy cake, but this recipe turns it into a light and—dare I say—healthy muffin. This recipe contains all natural ingredients, so you can have a couple of these for breakfast and not feel guilty about it. It has all the ingredients of a fruitcake, but instead of relying on fat and sugar for its flavor, it packs a flavor punch with a festive mixture of holiday spices.
3. Fruitcake Bark
Everyone expects to see the classic peppermint bark on the holiday dessert table, so switch it up this year with this fruitcake bark. With all the flavors and textures from the dried fruits and nuts, this bark will make plain old peppermint bark a thing of the past.
4. Bundt Cake Fruitcake
If you have a fruitcake recipe that you’re loyal to, but you want to update the presentation, putting your favorite fruitcake recipe into a bundt pan is a great way to do that. Bundt cakes are very festive because they kind of look like a little wreath on the table.
5. Chocolate Fruitcake Cupcakes
From the outside, these cupcakes look like a classic chocolate cupcake. The surprise inside these cupcakes is the dried fruits, nuts, and a splash of brandy to emulate that fruitcake flavor. For a little conversation starter, don’t tell your party guests that these are fruitcake-inspired cupcakes and see if they can detect those fruitcake flavors.
6. Mini Fruitcakes
These mini fruitcakes are a great way to kick off a holiday party. They’re a great appetizer because they’re easy to carry around and even easier to eat. These mini fruitcakes will help you ward off even the hungriest of guests who won’t stop asking when the ham will be done.
7. Boozy Fruitcake
No matter how you spend the holidays, everyone could always use a little extra booze. Traditional fruitcake is usually soaked in either brandy or rum, but this recipe takes it to a whole other level. Before the cake is soaked in rum, this recipe calls for soaking the dried fruits in wine for one week. So tell Aunt Sally to put down that fifth glass of wine and slice up some of this fruitcake instead.
8. Chocolate Fruitcake
Any dessert is instantly made better if you add chocolate to it, that’s just a fact of life. Instead of the sighs and questionable looks that happen when a fruitcake comes through the door, everyone will be stoked to see this chocolate version. I’ve never met a chocolate cake I didn’t like and this cake is no exception.
9. Fruitcake Fudge
Fudge is a classic dessert to have around the holidays and incorporating the flavors of fruitcake makes it even more festive. This recipe makes fruitcake a little more kid-friendly because it uses rum extract instead of actual rum.
10. Gluten-free Fruitcake
Nowadays, with so many people with gluten sensitivities, it’s always good to have a gluten-free alternative to what you’re serving. This recipe has all of the boozy and fruity elements of a fruitcake, it just uses gluten-free flour instead of regular flour.
11. No-Bake Ice Box Fruitcake
Fruitcake is a pretty dense cake, so it usually takes a long time to bake. If you’re under a time crunch, this icebox cake is the perfect make-ahead dessert for your holiday table. Instead of being held together by flour and eggs, this icebox cake is made with graham crackers and marshmallows.
12. White Fruitcake
For the less adventurous eaters, the appearance of this fruitcake might be more appealing to them because it looks more like a traditional vanilla cake. This cake has a lighter color because it doesn’t have molasses in it. However, it still keeps the other traditional flavors of the dried fruits, nuts, and booze.
13. Fruitcake Bars
Fruitcake bars are another way to make fruitcake more finger food-friendly. These fruitcake bars could also make a great holiday gift. You could make a big batch and send them to your loved ones in little gift boxes.
14. Fruitcake Biscotti
I’m not sure if my Italian ancestors would appreciate this Americanized biscotti, but anything goes around the holidays. These biscotti are perfect to have at breakfast or after dinner with coffee.
15. Fruitcake Scones
Fruitcake scones are another unique way to give fruitcake a makeover. This scone is filled with colorful candied fruits to make them easier on the eye than traditional fruitcake. They’re then made even more festive with a white icing topped with green and red sprinkles.