White Fruitcake

Name: White Fruitcake Recipe (Modern & Light)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 package (8 ounces) chopped mixed candied fruit; 1-1/4 cups golden raisins; 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted; 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided; 2 cups butter, softened; 2 cups sugar; 6 large eggs, room temperature

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This white fruitcake modernizes the classic holiday cake with a light, tender crumb studded with candied fruit, raisins and walnuts, then baked without alcohol or molasses—making it approachable even for fruitcake skeptics.

Total

1h 10m

Servings

4

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Tasteofhome

Ingredients

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7 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Preheat your oven to 275°F. Line the bottoms of four greased 9x5-inch loaf pans with parchment paper, then grease the parchment.
2
In a small bowl, toss together the candied fruit, raisins and walnuts with a 1/2 cup of the all-purpose flour. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the butter and sugar together until they’re light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in the remaining flour. Fold in the fruit mixture.
3
Divide the batter evenly among the four prepared pans. Bake the white fruitcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool the fruitcakes in their pans for 10 minutes. Remove the fruitcakes from their pans and transfer them to wire racks to cool fully to room temperature.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Cream butter and sugar until visibly light and fluffy (3–5 minutes) to incorporate air, which keeps the cake tender and prevents density.
Toss candied fruit, raisins and walnuts with 1/2 cup flour before folding into batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom.
Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes before turning out; this prevents cracking but allows enough set to release cleanly.
Use a low oven temperature (275°F) to bake gently and evenly, preventing overbaking or darkening the exterior before the center is done.

Substitutions

Golden raisins → dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots (same quantity)
Walnuts → pecans or sliced almonds (same quantity, toast before use)
All-purpose flour → cake flour (reduce by 2 tablespoons total for lighter crumb, though not traditional)

Storage & make-ahead

Wrap cooled fruitcakes tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature up to 3 days, or freeze up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature before serving.

Equipment

four 9×5-inch loaf pans · hand mixer or stand mixer · parchment paper

Common Questions

Can I make this fruitcake ahead?

Yes. Cool the cakes completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

Why is my fruitcake dense?

Overmixing the batter or not creaming butter and sugar long enough can cause density. Cream until light and fluffy, and fold in fruit mixture gently by hand.