A great last minute dessert. One family we know always takes this sailing so now it’s called “Fruit Cockpit Cake”
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Cake
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 – 14oz. can fruit cocktail with juice or crushed pineapple 398 mL
- 2 cups flour
Sauce
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla or 2 Tbsp. rum as a superb substitute!
Cake
- Beat eggs. Add all ingredients, except flour, and mix. Add flour and mix again.
- Grease a 9 x 13” pan or a Bundt pan and pour in mixture. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes.
Sauce
- Heat sugar, milk and butter in saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour over hot cake. (Makes a lot but use all of it! The cake will absorb it.)
- Serve warm with whipped cream or frozen vanilla yogurt.
- Keeps for several days refrigerated (if no one knows it’s there).
The Best of Bridge https://www.bestofbridge.com/
I’ve tried this recipe a couple of times. The first time the top was dark, dark brown. Today, watching the cake turn browner and browner with 25 minutes still to go on the timer, I turned the temp down to 325. It feels cooked (to the touch) but it’s still very dark. I’ve checked my oven and according to auxiliary temperature gauge, it’s accurate. So thought I would ask if this cake is supposed to be so dark.
Hi Dorothy. Yes, this cake bakes a little on the darker side. Something to consider is that fruit cocktail is available in light syrup, heavy syrup and juice. Depending on which variety you use will affect the total sugar content; the higher the sugar, the darker the cake.
I have been using n cooking this recipe for more than thirty years. And it is still the best fruit cocktail cake I have ever tried. Very easy to make and very tasty. I use Grand Marnier instead of Rum. It’ s delicious. It is a little bit sweeter than when we use Rum, but since I love sweet, so I prefer to use Grand Marnier
Hi Maria,
Thanks so much for letting us know. We love hearing that one of our Best of Bridge recipes has been a long time favorite for you. That’s a great option to use Grand Marnier for a flavor variation 🙂
can this cake with the syrup be frozen?
Hi Cathy,
Thanks for your message. This cake can be frozen, however, the texture may be affected. The fresh baked cake is already fairly moist and the canned fruit may release additional moisture upon freezing and thawing. It will still taste delicious, but be prepared for an even moister cake.
Can one use bigger can of fruit cocktail ?
Thanks honey
Hi Arlene, we do not suggest you use a bigger can to make the cake as this will make it too moist. Instead, measure out the portion for the recipe, then snack on the remaining fruit cocktail. Enjoy!
I make this cake for my housesitting clients, and they love it! Devine and so simple.
I’ve been making this for 30+ years and it’s been a great dessert, even after having been frozen (when I was a university student in Vancouver back in the mid-90s, I’d make this and freeze it to have as a midnight snack).
Fast forward to this evening and I will be teaching my (UK born) daughter (7) how to make it to take to church tomorrow morning.