Moist Fruit Cocktail Cake (Printable)

Tender cake with sweet fruit cocktail and creamy coconut frosting, perfect for gatherings or dessert.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ cups granulated sugar
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1 can (15 oz) fruit cocktail in juice, undrained
05 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
06 - ½ teaspoon salt
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Coconut Frosting

08 - 1 cup granulated sugar
09 - ½ cup whole milk
10 - ½ cup unsalted butter
11 - 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
12 - ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt until evenly mixed.
03 - Add eggs, undrained fruit cocktail, and vanilla extract to the dry mixture. Stir gently until just combined without overmixing.
04 - Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly to the edges.
05 - Place pan in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
06 - While cake bakes, combine sugar, milk, and butter in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring frequently, until mixture reaches a gentle boil.
07 - Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in shredded coconut, optional nuts, and vanilla extract until well incorporated.
08 - Once the cake is removed from the oven, use a fork or skewer to poke holes over its surface. Pour the hot coconut frosting evenly across the cake.
09 - Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before serving warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cake stays impossibly moist even days later because of the canned fruit juice soaked into every layer.
  • That coconut frosting poured hot over warm cake creates this almost-caramelized crust that catches on your teeth.
  • It feels fancy enough for company but honestly takes less time than most sheet cakes.
  • No fancy techniques or temperamental ingredients—just mixing, baking, and pouring.
02 -
  • Do not skip draining the fruit cocktail—that juice is what keeps the cake from drying out, and it matters more than you'd think.
  • Pour the frosting while both the cake and frosting are hot; if the frosting cools too much it gets thick and clumpy instead of soaking in.
  • A fork works better than a skewer for poking holes because it creates more little channels for the frosting to seep through.
03 -
  • Toasting the shredded coconut in a dry skillet for two or three minutes before stirring it into the frosting deepens the flavor and adds a subtle nutty note.
  • If your frosting starts to set up before you pour it, just warm it gently over low heat for a few seconds—you want it pourable but still warm enough to soak in.
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