Fruit Cocktail Cake

Fruit cocktail cake is the definition of a one-bowl, no-fuss dessert: everything mixes right in the baking pan, no mixer required, no creaming, no folding. The canned fruit cocktail brings its own syrup, which provides almost all the moisture, so there’s no oil or butter in the batter at all.

The baking soda reacts with the slightly acidic fruit syrup to lift the cake just enough for a tender, slightly springy crumb. The little bits of pear, peach, grape, and cherry stay suspended in the batter and turn into pockets of soft fruit once baked. It’s a classic potluck and church-supper dessert from the era when convenience-food baking was an art form.

Kitchen Tips

• Use the entire can of fruit cocktail, syrup and all. The syrup is the moisture, draining it will give you a dry cake.
• Mix gently with a fork or wooden spoon. Overmixing develops gluten and toughens the crumb.
• Test for doneness with a toothpick at 35 minutes. Pans vary, and ten extra minutes can mean the difference between moist and dry.
• For a glossy finish, drizzle warm cake with a simple glaze of powdered sugar and milk while still in the pan.

Variations

• Sprinkle a brown sugar and pecan topping over the batter before baking for a praline-style crust.
• Add a teaspoon of vanilla and ½ teaspoon cinnamon to the batter for warmer flavor.
• Swap fruit cocktail for canned crushed pineapple to make a similarly old-school pineapple cake.