Moist Fruit Cocktail Cake (Printable format)

Tender cake bursting with sweet canned fruit cocktail, finished with luscious coconut frosting.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1 can (15 oz) fruit cocktail in juice, undrained
05 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Coconut Frosting

08 - 1 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1/2 cup whole milk
10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter
11 - 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
12 - 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
03 - Add the eggs, undrained fruit cocktail, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients; mix gently until just combined without overmixing.
04 - Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
05 - While the cake bakes, combine sugar, milk, and butter in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring frequently until the mixture gently boils.
06 - Remove saucepan from heat, then stir in shredded coconut, optional nuts, and vanilla extract.
07 - Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, poke holes throughout the surface with a fork or skewer. Pour the hot coconut frosting evenly over the cake.
08 - Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The fruit cocktail keeps the cake incredibly moist without any weird flavor, just pure sweetness baked right in.
  • That hot coconut frosting soaks into the warm cake creating pockets of flavor that feel almost decadent for something so simple.
  • You can have this on the table in under an hour, which makes it perfect when friends drop by unannounced.
02 -
  • The frosting must go on while the cake is still hot or it won't soak in properly and you'll miss half the magic of this recipe.
  • Don't overmix the batter no matter how many lumps you see; the fruit cocktail adds enough liquid that gentle stirring is all you need.
03 -
  • Make sure your baking soda is fresh; old baking soda won't give you the rise you need and the cake will be dense.
  • If you don't have vanilla extract, almond extract is a wonderful secret substitution that adds a subtle depth to both the cake and frosting.
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