Fruitcake Fudge
A fun fruitcake-inspired dessert for Christmas, this Simple Fruitcake Fudge recipe is a decadent and colorful dessert to bring to a cookie exchange or gift to friends during the holidays. With a buttery white chocolate rum base and plenty of fruit and nuts mixed in, this is a decadent fudge that tastes just as gorgeous as it looks.
Fruitcake Fudge Recipe
I’ll be honest – I never even bothered trying fruitcake until I was in university.
All of the memes and jokes about fruitcake had me convinced that it was a truly nasty-tasting dessert that wasn’t worth making room for on my plate during Christmas potlucks or parties.
However, I had a Jamaican roommate who opened my eyes. She served me some toasted fruitcake with melted cheddar cheese on top and I saw how delicious this Christmas classic can be.
A delicious fruitcake should be rich, fruity and nutty with a rich spicy flavor and notes of vanilla and rum, and that’s exactly the flavor profile I used to create this easy fruitcake fudge recipe.
I used a classic marshmallow fudge recipe and infused it with all of those amazing flavors and textures of a great fruitcake, along with a handful of white chocolate chips to this fruitcake fudge to give it a hint of chocolate and also to harden the texture slightly. If you’d prefer a softer fudge, leave the white chocolate chips out of the recipe.
Rum is a traditional flavor in fruitcake, however, if you’re not a fan you can sub in vanilla extract for the rum extract called for in this recipe.
For this recipe, I used Millican Pecan’s Pecan Pieces. I didn’t realize what a difference there could be between pecan brands, but these are so incredibly fresh and flavorful. They also have delicious snack options like the Sweet and Spicy Pecans which are perfect for the holidays. My next order, I’m trying their Pecan Butter and the Caramel Pecan Coffee! (And by the way, this is not sponsored – I just really love them.)
Can this fruitcake fudge be frozen? This fudge will last at room temperature for up to two weeks, if kept in an airtight container. Refrigerating will allow it to last up to a month.
However, if are planning way ahead of time, you can freeze this fudge for up to four months, but note that the texture will change slightly. If you do need to freeze it, try to freeze it before cutting into servings (to prevent the fudge from drying out) and wrap in wax paper before placing in an airtight zip-top bag.
More Christmas Fudge Recipes
- No-Cook Gingerbread Fudge
- Hot Chocolate Fudge
- Andes Mint Fudge
- Bailey’s Irish Cream Fudge (with video)
- 3-ingredient Chocolate Bailey’s Fudge (with video)
- Snowflake White Chocolate Fudge
- Christmas Tree Fudge
- Nutella Fudge (with video)
- No-Cook Turtle Fudge
- Chocolate Peppermint Fudge
Fruitcake Fudge Ingredients
- White Sugar
- Evaporated Milk
- Butter
- Marshmallow Fluff
- Salt
- Vanilla Extract or Rum Extract
- Chopped Pecans
- Chopped Glace Cherries/Candied Fruit Mixture
- White Chocolate Chips, optional
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: if you’d prefer a softer fudge, leave out the white chocolate chips.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Saucepan
- Wooden Spoon or Spatula <– I like these spatulas because they are one solid piece and don’t have removable heads for bacteria to get trapped underneath. Plus they are heat-resistant and have a lifetime warranty.
- Loaf Pan
How to Make Fruitcake Fudge
Grease a 9″x4″ loaf pan and sprinkle some of the candied fruit and chopped pecans in the bottom. Set aside.
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the white sugar, evaporated milk, butter, marshmallow fluff and salt over low heat.
Stir constantly until ingredients are melted and completely combined, then add white chocolate chips and increase heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil.
Boil mixture for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat.
Stir in the rum extract (if using – if not, use vanilla extract), pecans and chopped fruit.
Pour mixture out into the prepared loaf pan.
Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before cutting into 1″ cubes and storing or serving.
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Grab your free printable recipe card for our no-cook fruitcake fudge recipe:
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Fruitcake Fudge
This fruitcake fudge is rich, fruity and nutty with a gentle warmth from a hint of spice and rum extract. It's a super simple white chocolate marshmallow fudge that makes a gorgeous gift for the fruitcake fan in your life.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup White Sugar
- 2.5 oz (half a small can) Evaporated Milk
- 4 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 cup Marshmallow Fluff
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract or Rum Extract
- 1/2 cup Chopped Pecans
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup Chopped Glace Cherries/Candied Fruit Mixture
- 1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips, optional
Instructions
- Grease a 9"x4" loaf pan and sprinkle some of the candied fruit and chopped pecans in the bottom. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the white sugar, evaporated milk, butter, marshmallow fluff and salt over low heat.
- Stir constantly until ingredients are melted and completely combined, then add white chocolate chips and increase heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil.
- Boil mixture for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat.
- Stir in the rum extract (if using - if not, use vanilla extract), pecans and chopped fruit.
- Pour mixture out into the prepared loaf pan.
- Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before cutting into 1" cubes and storing or serving.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 186Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 117mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 0gSugar: 25gProtein: 2g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope your family loves this easy fruitcake fudge as much as mine does!
For more decadent desserts, check out our full dessert recipe collection here: