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Fruit Cocktail Cake

An old-fashioned 1950s fruit cocktail cake stirred together by hand in one bowl — no mixer needed. A whole can of fruit cocktail goes in juice and all, which makes it so tender it's almost juicy. It bakes low and slow under a brown sugar pecan topping, then a hot buttery coconut sauce gets poured right over the top while it's still warm.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 48 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Serving Size 12 slices

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 can fruit cocktail (15oz) undrained

Brown Sugar Pecan Topping

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup pecans roughly chopped

For the Hot Coconut Sauce

  • 1/2 cup butter 1 stick
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 1/3 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F and grease a 9x13 baking pan.
  • Measure the flour into a large bowl using the spoon and level method so it isn't packed down. Add the sugar, salt and baking soda, then give the dry ingredients a quick whisk to break up the flour.
  • Add the eggs one at a time. Open the can of fruit cocktail and pour just the juice into the bowl, setting the fruit aside.
  • Stir by hand for 1 to 2 minutes until the batter is smooth and completely free of lumps. No mixer is needed.
  • Gently fold in the fruit cocktail until it is evenly distributed through the batter.
  • Pour the batter into the greased 9x13 pan and spread it out evenly.
  • Mix the brown sugar and chopped pecans together in a small bowl, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the batter.
  • Bake at 275 degrees F for 40 to 60 minutes, checking at 35 minutes. Mine took 48 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
  • While the cake finishes baking, combine the butter, sugar and evaporated milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the coconut and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is hot and bubbly.
  • Remove the cake from the oven and immediately pour the hot sauce evenly over the top, lightly spreading the coconut so it covers the whole cake.
  • Let the cake sit for at least 1 hour so the sauce soaks all the way down into it before slicing and serving. It should be barely warm at the bottom of the pan when it is ready.

Video

Notes

  • Do not drain the fruit cocktail. The juice is what makes this cake so tender and moist.
  • The 275 degree oven temperature is intentional. At 350 the outside browns before the center finishes baking. The lower temperature lets the inside cook through while the top stays perfectly golden.
  • The original recipe called for one small can of Angel Flake coconut, which is no longer sold in cans. One to one and one-third cups from the bag is the equivalent. Use the higher amount if you love coconut.
  • Not a coconut fan? Leave it out entirely. The sauce is still delicious without it.
  • Bake times vary quite a bit from oven to oven on this one, so start checking early. Mine came out perfectly at 48 minutes.
  • This cake is even better the next day. Cover and store at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days.