Fruit Bundt Cake Recipe

Ginny McMeans

Ginny McMeans

Published:

October 27, 2019

Last Modified:

July 27, 2025

This Fruit Bundt Cake Recipe is a fruity sweet concoction that you will be proud to serve. A moist and easy holiday fruitcake recipe that isn’t overly sweet. Make copies of the recipe – people will be asking for it.

a whole fruit bundt cake on a platter with 1 slice removed, revealing a dense interior with lots of dried fruits

Christmas brings out the best in everyone and everything. Excitement, kindness, spirituality and we must not forget that people become decorating geniuses.

Another huge factor for the season is the food.

Everyone’s best recipes come out this time of year and seasonal treats are baked for ourselves and for others. An ‘every winter must-have’ is Fruitcake with a capital F.

Not the dry and hard fruitcake from ages past but the best fruity sweet concoction that you will be proud to serve. This Easy Fruitcake Bundt Cake recipe has all of those qualities and more.

You know some of those candied fruits that you see during the holidays? The ones that look very questionable? Ones like those green candied cherries? I know they’re pretty and festive and all but they’re kind of scary.

Well, I left the candied cherries out of this recipe. There are still wonderful sweet treats inside and one of them is dried pineapple. For that lovely ingredient, a little goes a long way!

The fruit mixture is from fresh citrus and many different varieties of dried fruit. Actually, six fruits are used in this recipe and pecans are added too! There are some really nice and healthy ingredients inside the recipe.

I don’t know if you ever noticed that there is kind of a competition out there in the world about who makes the best fruitcake.

It’s been going on for ages and I think my mom had one of the best. It was also fun shopping for the ingredients with her.

Well, now is your chance to win the ultimate contest. This recipe really is the best one! You choose the shape of the pan and be proud of your delicious and gorgeous fruitcake. A new tradition that I think you’ll want to carry on for years.

Fruit Bundt Cake Ingredients

What a beautiful bunch of ingredients! 

For the Cake:

  • Flaxseed meal mixed with water – is a healthy protein-packed egg substitute.
  • Oranges – add the sweet-tart flavor of real fruit juice.
  • Cranberry juice – is a little bit tart and just right for balancing the sweet fruits.
  • Dates – add an extra good natural sweetness
  • Dried cranberries – add a sweet, tangy flavor and vibrant red coloring. 
  • Golden raisins – are plump and flavorful.
  • Vanilla extract – is that special extra flavor for baked goods.
  • Maple syrup – adds a little bit of sweet liquid that is necessary.
  • Dried pineapple – is super sweet and very festive.
  • Pecans – add that extra mild crunch.
  • Whole wheat pastry flour – turns this fruitcake into a fruity cake.
  • Salt – is seasoning.
  • Ground nutmeg – completes the round of wonderful spices.
  • Ground Cinnamon – is a necessary spice.
  • Baking soda – helps the bundt cake rise nice and high.

For the Glaze

  • Apple jelly – makes the fruitcake top glistening and inviting.
two slices of fruit bundt cake on a plate

FAQs 

What Size Bundt Pan Should You Use?

I used a 6-cup pan for this recipe. You can use either a 6 or 8 cup pan, but there will be some differences in the end result.

I used the smaller 6-cup bundt pan because I wanted a taller cake. Mine came from Target and there are many colors to choose from. The cake turned out beautiful and you can slice thinner slices. All the slices are smaller anyway because fruitcake is so rich that you don’t need much. The 6 cup bundt pan serves 14 generous slices. If you bake yours in an 8 cup pan, you’ll want to make the slices a bit thicker. 

The smaller size for this Easy Fruitcake Bundt Cake recipe is also handy because it makes fantastic holiday gifts. Add a little card with the recipe printed and tie it on the cellophane wrapper.

Does Fruitcake Need a Topping?

Nope. No icing, frosting or fruit topping. But isn’t this little bit of drizzle on the top pretty?

Just a little bit of melted apple jelly drizzled back and forth here and there over the fruitcake makes it glisten.

Let it drip down as you go around the top and your easy fruit cake is done.

a whole fruit bundt cake on a plate with a glossy, freshly glazed surface

Step-by-Step Instructions

steps 1 through 4 of the fruit bundt cake recipe

  1. Prepare flaxseed mixture. Mix the flaxseed meal and water together and set aside so that it can gel. It only takes a few minutes.
  2. Juice and combine. Squeeze all of the juice from the oranges to get close to ½ cup of juice. It can be a bit under ½ cup but you need more than ¼ cup. In a large bowl add the orange juice, cranberry juice, dates, dried cranberries, golden raisins, vanilla extract, maple syrup, dried pineapple, and pecans. Add the thickened flaxseed meal mixture and mix all together.
  3. Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix together.
  4. Combine all ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the fruit mixture and blend well.

steps 5 through 8 of the fruit bundt cake recipe

  1. Fill the bundt pan. First, lightly oil the bundt pan–I used coconut oil–then pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan and flatten it down, as well as you can, on the top.
  2. Bake and cool. Bake at 325℉ for 45 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes, then remove your cake from the pan and let cool completely.
  3. Top with apple jelly. Melt the apple jelly in the microwave and drizzle over the top of the cake.
  4. Slice and serve! Cut your fruit bundt cake into thick wedges and enjoy!

Watch Us Make Fruit Bundt Cake Recipe

How To Store

Wonderful fresh but it also freezes really well.

If you choose to freeze please use one of my methods as described in my article How to Prepare Food for the Freezer.

a whole fruit bundt cake on a platter with 1 slice removed, revealing a dense interior with lots of dried fruits

Best Fruit Bundt Cake

Ginny McMeans
4.5600 from 29 votes
Fruit Bundt Cake is the best fruity sweet concoction that you will be proud to serve.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 14 Slices

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Ingredients
  

For the Cake:

  • 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp water
  • 3 oranges
  • 1/4 cup cranberry juice
  • 1 cup pitted dates, chopped smaller
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 cup dried pineapple, chopped smaller
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the Glaze:

  • 1/2 cup apple jelly

Instructions
 

  • Mix the flaxseed meal and water together and set aside so that it can gel. It only takes a few minutes.
  • Squeeze all of the juice from the oranges to get close to ½ cup of juice. It can be a bit under ½ cup but you need more than ¼ cup. In a large bowl add the orange juice, cranberry juice, dates, dried cranberries, golden raisins, vanilla extract, maple syrup, dried pineapple, and pecans. Add the thickened flaxseed meal mixture and mix all together.
  • In a medium bowl add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix together.
  • Add the flour mixture to the fruit mixture and blend well.
  • First, lightly oil the bundt pan–I used coconut oil–then pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan and flatten it down, as well as you can, on the top.
  • Bake at 325℉ for 45 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes, then remove your cake from the pan and let cool completely.
  • Melt the apple jelly in the microwave and drizzle over the top of the cake.
  • Cut your fruit bundt cake into thick wedges and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Serving:1Slice, Calories:264kcal, Carbohydrates:51g, Protein:4g, Fat:7g, Saturated Fat:1g, Polyunsaturated Fat:2g, Monounsaturated Fat:3g, Sodium:164mg, Potassium:281mg, Fiber:5g, Sugar:31g, Vitamin A:87IU, Vitamin C:18mg, Calcium:44mg, Iron:1mg

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57 responses to “Fruit Bundt Cake Recipe”

4.56 from 29 votes (24 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




  1. Elyna Avatar
    Elyna

    Hi, this looks interesting. I just have a question, can you provide the website for where I can purchase the apple jelly?
    Thanks,
    Elyna

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Hi Elyna, I don’t have an organic link for apple jelly. I just used the one that was at the grocery store. I think it was Smucker’s.

  2. Jan Avatar
    Jan

    Do you have an alternative for the flax seed meal? Also instead of whole wheat flour can you substitute all purpose flour? Thanks

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Yes, the flax seed meal is actually a substitute for 2 eggs. You could also use chia seed meal and water as egg substitutes. A mashed banana would work also. All purpose flour would work very well.

  3. Lisa Avatar

    This looks so good! Fruitcake is my holiday weakness. I love that the ingredients are so nutritious for this recipe. That always equals less guilt:)

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Thank you so much Lisa!

  4. Sheena @ Hot Eats and Cool Reads Avatar

    I don’t think I’ve ever tried fruitcake before! Yours looks fantastic, especially made in the bundt pan!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Thanks Sheena! You have got to try this recipe! 🙂

  5. Annie @Maebells Avatar

    How fun?! I love that the glaze is as simple as apple jelly!

  6. Melanie | Melanie Makes Avatar

    An absolutely beautiful cake!

  7. fabiola@notjustbaked Avatar

    This is the tastiest fruit cake I have ever seen, I would totally eat this!

  8. Michelle @ The Complete Savorist Avatar

    This looks great. Nothing like I am accustomed to seeing. I would like a slice and cup of coffee please. I cannot lie, fruit cake was never something I have understood. It’s around every holiday, harder than a hockey puck with a sticky glaze over it and fruit pieces in such bright hues that are not naturally occurring. It’s never looked appetizing. But not this one – this looks great!

  9. Beth @ The First Year Avatar

    My mother in law makes like 18 loaves of fruit cake each Christmas. She soaks hers in booze rags for weeks. I guess I didn’t know you could make fruit cake without alcohol haha 🙂

  10. Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts Avatar

    What a great idea to turn it into a bundt cake – looks great!

  11. Cate @ Chez CateyLou Avatar

    This looks so moist and flavorful – much better than traditional fruitcake! What a fun recipe for the holiday season!

  12. Dionne Baldwin Avatar

    I haven’t had fruitcake in years and I’ve never made one! I want to try this.

  13. Kim Beaulieu Avatar

    This is so gorgeous. My dad used to make fruitcake every year. I love it.

  14. Ashlyn @ Belle of the Kitchen Avatar

    This looks like my kind of fruitcake. Fresh and full of good ingredients. I’ve actually never eaten fruitcake before because it’s always scared me, but this is one I actually want to get my hands on! And I LOVE your little heart shaped bowl, by the way!

  15. Kim Avatar
    Kim

    if substituting all purpose flour for wheat do you recommend adding baking powder, baking soda or salt?

  16. Kim Avatar
    Kim

    Guess I should have paid more attention to recipe instead of the yummy picture! I see that the recipe calls for salt & baking soda!!!

  17. Laura O @PetiteAllergyTreats Avatar

    Fruit cake is something that I’ve always wanted to try. This looks great and easy to make too!

  18. dennis doyle Avatar

    look great will make later

  19. Jenn Avatar

    My father in law would love this! He’s a huge fan of fruit cake. This looks so good…I think I could definitely get on board too! Love the idea of melting apple jelly as a glaze!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      You have to make it Jenn! I am not just talking 🙂 Your father in law will love it. Thanks so much!

  20. Dianne's Vegan Kitchen Avatar
    Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen

    It’s been a very long time since I’ve had fruitcake, but I remember liking it! I know it has a bad rap, but I think it’s great, and I love your version!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Thanks Dianne! They do have a bad rap! I must admit some are as heavy as a brick 🙂 Glad you like this one and if you get to make it you won’t be sorry!

  21. Cadry Avatar

    My mom loves fruitcake something fierce, but I’ve personally never tried it! I’m going to need to buy a bundt pan, so that I can make yours and give it to her. Then I can finally try it too!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Oh, I hope you get to Cadry! Remember I used the smallish bundt pan so it is more like fruitcake size. P.S. Your mom will love it 🙂

  22. Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day Avatar

    I have to say, I’ve always avoided fruit cake, but this one looks really good!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      You have got to, got to, got to try it Amy 🙂

  23. Mary Ellen @ VNutrition Avatar

    I was thinking about it and I don’t think I’ve never had fruit cake before. I love the looks of this one! I think you should win for best fruitcake!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Hahaha! You are so funny Mary Ellen. You must try this one and then if anyone ever asks if you have a good recipe – well then 🙂

  24. Sarah Avatar

    I love using bundt pans—they make cakes look so elegant!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Me too Sarah! I love the small ones too.

  25. Melissa Huggins Avatar

    Wow, fruitcake is serious business! I can’t believe that lady backed you in a corner. I haven’t had fruitcake in years. Your bundt cake version looks out-of-this-world delicious! Perfect for the holiday table 🙂

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      hahaha Melissa! She was serious 🙂 Thanks so much and it really looks good on the dessert table too.

  26. Fiona Avatar

    I love fruit cake! Some can be stored indefinitely.
    Can’t help but notice, there’s a SMILEY on your cake 🙂

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Hahaha Fiona! I had to go check 🙂

      1. Fiona Avatar

        It’s right there in the front! 🙂

  27. Mel |avirtualvegan.com Avatar

    This looks so lovely Ginny. I know a lot of people don’t like fruit cake but I love it and make one every Christmas. I really need to invest in a bundt tin. I have never had one but they make cakes look so pretty!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Thanks Mel! Bundt pans really do make cakes more festive. Have a great Christmas!

  28. Valentina Avatar

    5 stars
    This looks yummy! Whenever I make a cake for my husabnd’s birthday, he requests it be a bundt cake. Perfect. 🙂

  29. Sandi Gaertner Avatar

    5 stars
    This bundt cake would be perfect to serve over the holidays!

  30. Shumaila Avatar

    Love this time of the year, and baking fruit cake is a big part of it! This looks delicious, thank you so much for sharing the recipe

  31. Helen of Fuss Free Flavours Avatar

    5 stars
    Fruit cake is one of those delicious treats reminds me of Christmas. Making a bundt cake version is lovely, I imagine would be yummy with some icing drizzled over the top.

  32. Shashi at Savory Spin Avatar

    You sure are right – Christmas does bring out the best in us – and that’s pretty darn amazing – just like this vegan bundt fruitcake! I so love a good fruitcake but never have I had a vegan one before. So delicious!

  33. Samantha Avatar
    Samantha

    I cant wait to try this. Thank you for the recipe.

  34. Lindsay L Manly Avatar
    Lindsay L Manly

    5 stars
    I made this recipe this past weekend and it came out great. I’ve never made a fruitcake before so i was kind of intimidated, but it was super easy. I had everything but the jelly so I made a quick royal icing and it came out great. Honestly, i don’t think it really needs the icing.

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      That is fantastic Lindsay! I am so glad you took the step and made it because so many times things look hard and they really aren’t. Thanks for giving this recipe a chance. I know what you mean about the icing. It really doesn’t need anything. The jelly was even for looks more than to add more sweetness and that’s why I just drizzled it a little.

  35. Sonja Knoerdel Avatar
    Sonja Knoerdel

    I notice that other than the maple syrup, there’s no sugar. Does that mean that the dried fruit and cranberry juice should be sweetened? I’m making this for an office holiday party, and we have a new member who is vegan (and probably gets left out of a lot of office food parties) so I want it to be perfect. Thanks!!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Yes, the ingredients add all of the sweetness you’d ever want. You just buy cranberry juice just like you would if you wanted to drink it. The dried fruit will be packaged one way and that’s how you buy it. Dried cranberries aren’t super sweet but dates and dried pineapple are. It won’t be overly sweet like some fruitcakes but it will be plenty sweet. In fact, I drizzled melted apple jelly over the top just to make it prettier for the photos not so much for the sweetness. But it’s still really good with the jelly. I think it’s wonderful of you to think of your new office member. I really think the bundtcake will be perfect and everyone will enjoy it.

  36. Lee Avatar
    Lee

    5 stars
    This cake is delicious! Thank you.

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      You are very welcome Lee and thank you for letting me know. I am so glad you found it.

  37. Paoma Avatar
    Paoma

    This fruitcake sounds delicious!
    Only one question…could I omit the flaxseed or would this alter the recipe??

  38. Margaret Avatar
    Margaret

    This looks delicious, and I bought all the ingredients to make this Thanksgiving. Can you tell me how to store leftovers (if there are any?) My inclination is to refrigerate. Thank you!

  39. Atheana Avatar
    Atheana

    Can you sub something else for the flaxseed and the wheat flour?

Ginny McMeans

Ginny McMeans

Hi, my name is Ginny and it is fantastic that you have come to visit and see my recipes. I have a positive attitude and can’t seem to be in nature enough. My North American bird count is 678 and I’m always watching for mammals and insects too. My head is stuffed full of recipes that I want to create and life is just to dang short. The recipes feature healthy and delicious vegan food that you can enjoy now or freeze for future meals.

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