Fruit Cocktail Cake...a Blast from the Past!

 

 

 

 

This "Fruit Cocktail Cake"  takes me back in time.  I can't specifically tell you exactly the period of time, but it must have been the seventies and maybe even the eighties.  I remember my mother making this cake quite often back then and after I was married I made it also, because it was always one of my husband's favorites.  Then, for some reason, we just quit making it.   I am not sure why though, because it's a really delicious cake and it's relatively easy also. Since so many of our readers have asked about this cake, I decided to revive it.  Here is what you will need:

 

2 cups self rising flour

2 eggs

1  1/2 cups white sugar

1 (15 oz.) can of fruit cocktail, undrained

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

 

Frosting

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup pecans, chopped

2 cups flaked coconut or a 7 oz. bag

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

 

Mix the flour, eggs, sugar, fruit cocktail, vanilla and cinnamon together until well blended.  Pour into a well greased 9"x13" baking pan.   Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. 

 

Near the end of the baking time, prepare the frosting.   Place the butter, milk, white and brown sugars, vanilla in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.  Reduce the heat and add the pecans and coconut.  Mix well. 

 

 

Remove the cake from the oven.  I like to take a fork or wooden skewer and poke just a few holes in the cake to allow some of the frosting to run down into the cake, but you don't have to do that step.  Pour the frosting evenly over the warm cake.  Make sure the coconut and pecans are evenly distributed.  Now, some recipes end here.  You cut it and eat it, but I remember that Mama always cranked that oven up to broil and put the cake back in for just a few minutes to toast the pecans and coconut and sort of caramelized the sugars a little.  

 

 It just really makes all the difference to me in the taste of the cake, but you have to watch it really close, because it will burn those pecans in no time at all!   This step is optional, but I do recommend it!   Now, you can cut it and eat it and I do think it is so good warm right out of the oven! 

 

 I like to put a cherry on top to serve since that is the best part of fruit cocktail to me and it's pretty!