Quick Fruitcake is a mildly spiced fruit bread loaf that blends crushed pineapple, dried fruit, nuts, and candied cherries into a tender crumb—less cloying and more approachable than traditional fruitcake. Baked in a loaf pan in under 90 minutes, it's an easy holiday option for fruitcake lovers.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan.
Place the butter, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, salt, and vanilla in a bowl, and beat till smooth.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the flour, stirring to combine.
Stir in the undrained crushed pineapple.
Stir in the fruits, nuts, and candied cherries.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
Sprinkle with coarse white sparkling sugar, if desired.
Bake the cake for 60 minutes, then tent it with aluminum foil. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven, and after 20 minutes loosen its sides, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool.
Cool the cake completely before slicing.
Cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil, and store at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Slice and serve at room temperature or warm gently before serving.
9" x 5" loaf pan · cake tester or thin skewer
Yes. Cool completely, wrap tightly, and store at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Slice before serving.
Raisins, cranberries, apricots, dates, or mixed dried fruit all work well. Use 1 to 1.7 cups total, chopped if pieces are large.
Tenting at 60 minutes prevents the top from browning too quickly while the center continues to bake. Bake an additional 15 minutes until a tester comes out clean.
Crushed pineapple's juice keeps the crumb moist and adds subtle sweetness. Applesauce works as a swap (same amount, undrained), though the flavor will shift away from tropical.
No, it uses all-purpose flour. Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend to make it gluten-free; reduce baking powder by 1/4 teaspoon for best rise.
