Fruit cocktail cake with a cake mix remixes a vintage classic to make it even easier. The cake is light, moist, and delightfully fruity.

Piece of fluffy fruit cocktail cake with moist crumb and bits of fruit on a plate, ready to eat.

If you like vintage fruit cocktail cake, you are going to love this recipe. It starts with a cake mix, so it is even easier to make.

However, the feeling is still the same. It is a nice moist cake that has bits of fruit and a little brown sugar on top.

While my grandma’s fruit cocktail cake recipe is about as easy as a scratch cake recipe gets, sometimes you want something even easier. This cake mix version is just that.

Two pieces of fruit cocktail cake stacked on top of each other with the remaining pan of cake in the background.

Ingredients including yellow cake mix, eggs, oil, can of fruit cocktail, and brown sugar ready to be made into fruit cocktail cake.

The only thing you have to measure is the oil. Plus, the cake is extra fluffy from that cake mix magic.

A lot of recipes out there finish the cake with a glaze or frosting. Now, you know I love me some frosting.

Can of fruit cocktail in mixing bowl with cake mix, eggs, and oil mixture.

Mixing bowl filled with fruit cocktail cake batter made with a cake mix.

However, I think the fruit in this cake is supposed to be the star of the show. And it seemed like adding pretty much any kind of frosting would overpower the fruit.

So I did what my grandma did in the original, sprinkled just a bit of brown sugar over the top instead. The cake is so moist.

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The brown sugar is enough to add some caramelly undertones and finishes it off nicely.

Carlee’s Tips and Tricks

Do not drain the fruit cocktail. The juices from the can are going to replace the water in the cake mix.

That moisture and extra fruity sweetness really make this cake what it is.

Fruit cocktail cake mix batter in 9x13-inch pan topped with brown sugar, ready to go in the oven.

Freshly baked cake mix fruit cocktail cake with golden brown sugar topping.

I like getting the fruit cocktail with the extra cherries, but any 15 oz can of fruit cocktail will do.

If you want a little bit more chew in your cake, stir in up to a cup of shredded coconut.

Or add some chopped nuts with the brown sugar. Chopped pecans or walnuts would be tasty additions.

As moist as the cake was, we didn’t think it needed anything to go with it. However, a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream would be delicious.

4.65 from 14 ratings

Fruit Cocktail Cake With a Cake Mix

Author: Carlee

Servings: Servings

Fruit cocktail cake with a cake mix remixes a vintage classic to make it even easier. The cake is light, moist, and delightfully fruity.

Prep: 5

Cook: 30

Total: 35

Equipment

Ingredients

Makes: 9 x 13inch rectangle, 2inch height

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉ and grease a 9×13-inch pan.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the 15.25 oz yellow cake mix, 3 eggs, and ½ cup vegetable oil until the mixture is smooth.
Add the 15 oz fruit cocktail along with all of the juices in the can. Mix until you have a uniform batter.
Pour into prepared cake pan. Sprinkle with ½ cup light brown sugar.
Bake for 28-34 minutes. Cool before serving.

Notes

Store the cake at room temperature for up to 4 days. Just wrap the cake in plastic wrap or use a pan with a lid to keep the cake fresh for as long as possible. Leftovers are good at room temperature or rewarmed slightly.
Add up to 1 cup of shredded coconut in the batter if desired.
You can add ½ cup of chopped nuts with the brown sugar if desired.