Never Fail Fruit Cake

This recipe lives up to its name by skipping the traditional flour-heavy batter and instead using sweetened condensed milk as the binder. The result is a dense, jewel-toned cake packed with fruit and nuts that holds together perfectly every time.

Never Fail Fruit Cake

Ingredients:

How to Make Never Fail Fruit Cake:

Step 1: Prep the Oven and Pan: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Lightly grease a 10-inch tube pan. For easy removal, line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper and grease the paper as well.

Step 2: Chop and Mix Fruit: In a very large mixing bowl, chop the 1 lb of candied cherries, 1 lb of candied pineapple, and 1 lb of pitted dates. Add the 1 lb of chopped pecans and the 4 packages of flaked coconut. The best way to combine these sticky ingredients is to mix them well with your hands until the fruit and nuts are evenly distributed.

Step 3: Bind the Ingredients: Stir in the 3 tablespoons of flour to lightly coat the fruit. Then, pour in the 2 cans of sweetened condensed milk. Blend everything thoroughly until all the fruit and coconut are shimmering and coated.

Step 4: Pack the Pan: Transfer the mixture into the prepared tube pan. Use the back of a spoon or your hands to pack it down firmly and evenly. This ensures the cake doesn’t crumble when sliced.

Step 5: Bake: Bake for 1 1/2 hours. The cake should be set and the coconut on top should be lightly toasted.

Step 6: Cool and Release: Remove the pan from the oven and immediately run a knife around the outer edge. Remove the rim of the pan while the cake is still hot. Once the cake is “barely warm,” carefully remove the tube bottom and peel away the parchment paper.