My Mother’s Icebox Fruitcake
Icebox Fruitcake…My Mother’s Recipe
Repost from 2023
This is my mother’s recipe for icebox fruitcake, and it’s always been a favorite in our family! Also known as a no-bake fruitcake, it’s incredibly easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. The best part? It keeps nicely in the refrigerator for weeks, making it perfect for the holiday season.
Ingredients for Icebox Fruitcake
- 1 lb of Vanilla Wafers: Be sure to use good-quality vanilla wafers and crush them finely, either by hand or with a food processor. I used Nilla Wafers and estimated the amount for a pound, which ended up being about a box and a half.
- 1 Box of Raisins: Recipes from decades ago don’t always match today’s measurements. I think raisin boxes used to be about a pound, but I went with a 12 oz box, and it worked just fine. Since Carrie isn’t a big fan of raisins in fruitcake, I used golden raisins instead—let’s hope she doesn’t notice!😏
- 2 Cups of Flaked Coconut: This recipe calls for flaked coconut, not fresh or frozen. Just use flaked coconut from a bag or a can. Do they even still sell coconut in cans? I’m not sure!
- 2 Cups of Chopped Pecans: Use pecan pieces or chop whole halves into smaller bits. If you’d like to decorate the top, set aside a few intact pecan halves.
- 2 Cups of Candied Fruit: I used candied pineapple and a mix of candied fruit for this recipe. You can also use green or red candied cherries—though red cherries were sold out when I shopped, and I always steer clear of the green ones. My grandmother swore by them, but they’re not for me. As for citron, that candied stuff? I skip that too!
- 1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk: Years ago, cans might have been larger than the 14 oz size we have today—I’m not sure. If the mixture seems a bit dry, you can always add a little extra sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, marshmallow creme, or even a splash of cherry juice. Just keep in mind that cherry juice may tint the mixture pink, which you might not prefer. (I learned that the hard way.)
- Maraschino Cherries: Optional, use to decorate if you wish.
Putting it All Together
Start by stirring the icebox fruitcake mixture with a big wooden spoon. But soon enough, you’ll realize there’s no avoiding it—you’ll need to get in there with your hands to mix it thoroughly! 😊
The wooden spoon you see in the image is a special one—it belonged to my grandmother and was once used for making butter. I have faint memories of her churning butter when I was very small, though I was too little to help. She’d work the butterfat off the dasher, shape it on a dish, and pat it into a smooth, rounded mound of butter. Funny enough, as a child, I preferred margarine to butter—if only I’d known how much better real butter was!
When mixing, make sure all the vanilla wafer crumbs are evenly coated. The mixture should hold its shape when you press it together. If it doesn’t, keep mixing until it does!
Shaping the Icebox Fruitcake
Press the mixture into prepared foil pans or a tube pan. I recommend spraying the pans with cooking spray first to ensure easy removal. The number of pans you’ll need will depend on their size—I used two foil pans for this batch.
My mother made this recipe with her own twists. Instead of vanilla wafers, she sometimes used crushed graham crackers and would press the mixture back into the graham cracker box lined with wax paper. She also experimented with marshmallow creme or melted marshmallows instead of sweetened condensed milk. This recipe is surprisingly flexible, so feel free to adapt it to your preferences.
No matter what kind of pan you use, be sure to press the mixture firmly into place for a well-shaped fruitcake.
Decorate the top of the icebox fruitcake with maraschino cherries and pecan halves if you like. It adds such a nice touch, doesn’t it? The decorations make it even more inviting! 😊
Storage Tips
Wrap the icebox fruitcake tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil before storing it in the refrigerator. Let it chill for at least 12 hours before serving—this helps the flavors meld and makes slicing easier.
Of course, patience wasn’t in the cards for us! About an hour after putting the fruitcakes in the fridge, Carrie came in, and we couldn’t resist giving it a try. I cut a slice, and it was delicious! After our little taste test, I carefully wrapped it back up and put it back in the fridge to save for a family dinner this weekend. Once fully chilled, it slices much cleaner, especially if you wet the knife before cutting.
This cake is rich, so small slices are perfect. Just a couple of bites are enough to satisfy, and you won’t want any of it to go to waste! Be sure to store it in the fridge to keep it fresh.
It’s been over 20 years since my mom passed, but I think she’d be proud that I’m still diving into her cookbooks and recipes, trying to recreate her dishes. She truly was an amazing cook, and this recipe is one of her many gifts to us.
Icebox No-Bake Fruitcake
Equipment
- 2 Tin Foil Pans or
- 1 Tube Pan
Ingredients
- 1 lb Vanilla Wafers
- 12 oz Raisins
- 2 cup Flaked Coconut
- 2 cup Chopped Pecans
- 2 cup Candied Fruit
- 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Maraschino Cherries Optional
Instructions
- Crush 1 lb. vanilla wafers ( run through food processor or chopper)
- Add 1 box (12 oz) raisins. You can use golden or regular raisins.
- Add 2 cups flaked coconut (use coconut from a bag or can, not freshly grated coconut)
- Chop 2 cups of pecans and add. Reserve a few halves if desired for decoration.
- Add 1 cup of candied fruit – I used pineapple.
- Add 1 more cup of candied fruit. I used 8 oz of mixed candied fruit. You can use red or green candied cherries also.
- Pour sweetened condensed milk over ingredients.
- Mix ingredients well. Make sure all the vanilla wafer crumbs and incorporated well.
- Mixture should hold together when compressed. You may have to mix it with your hands. If mixture seems too dry or crumbly, add a little more sweetened condensed milk or a little marshmallow creme.
- Pack into tin foil pans or tube pan, pressing firmly.
- Decorate top if desired.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and/or tin foil and refrigerate 12 hours before serving. Store in regrigerator tightly covered.
