A fun twist on holiday fruitcake, this old-fashioned gumdrop cake is filled with colourful gumdrops, raisins and walnuts. Keeps well and can be made ahead and frozen.
This vintage gumdrop cake recipe was a traditional Christmas offering in my family. It is much like a fruitcake, but with subtle flavours from the gumdrops throughout. It may sound a bit odd, but it is truly a lovely cake!
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Gumdrops – Baking gumdrops are specially formulated gumdrops made to withstand the heat of baking. Baking gumdrops are easily available here in Canada at Bulk Barn, where they are called “Baking Gums”. They are smaller and harder than regular gumdrops and don’t include any black ones. They used to be found in with the baking ingredients (near the chocolate chips) in my store, but this year, I found them over in the candy section near the regular gumdrops.
Amazon Canada (and possibly others) may also have baking gums available for shipping.
I highly recommend using baking gumdrops for best results. Regular gumdrops are likely to melt into the cake, which will give you the flavour perhaps, but not the same finished look. If you want to try regular gumdrops, seek out very firm ones, be sure they aren’t sugared or sour and remove any black gumdrops from the mix. Cut the rest of the regular gumdrops into halves or quarters, depending on the original size.
Raisins – Seedless raisins (Sultanas) are recommended. You could use Golden or Thompson raisins if that is your only available option. In all cases, be sure to plump the raisins in hot water before using.
Walnuts – Walnuts are the recommended nut for this cake, but pecans would also work. The nuts can be omitted for a nut-free cake.
Applesauce – You’ll want to use sweetened, plain applesauce for this cake. I couldn’t find applesauce in a jar, so I just used the snack cups.
How to make this old-fashioned gumdrop cake
- Start by soaking the raisins in very hot water. Drain and pat dry with paper towel after they have sat for at least 15 minutes.
- Mix together the batter.
- Scrape the batter in the bowl.
- Mix the gumdrops, drained raisins and walnuts in a large bowl to combine well.
- Add the gumdrop mixture to the batter.
- Fold the gumdrop mixture into the batter, distributing evenly throughout the batter.
- Spray the bundt pan with baking spray.
- Spoon the batter into the bundt pan and level the top. Bake.
Recipe tips!
- Mixing the baking soda with water before adding to the cake is a common technique found in vintage recipes. Dissolving the baking soda ensures it blends evenly with the cake batter. It was probably also a way to deal with lumpy baking soda, which isn’t as much of an issue these days. I still recommend doing it anyway.
- Follow the 10-minute rule to remove the bundt cake from the pan. Allow the cake to sit in the pan for just 10 minutes, then invert the bundt pan onto a cooling rack. If the cake doesn’t immediately release onto the cooling rack, jiggle the pan slightly and it should come out then.
- This cake releases from the bundt plan well. I have had great success using baking spray. Spray the pan right before adding the batter. If you spray early, it can run down the sides of the pan and pool at the bottom of the pan, leaving the sides with less oil and the bottom with too much.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
This cake can be made ahead. Once cooled, wrap well and store at room temperature.
This gumdrop cake will also freeze well. Wrap it well and freeze for up to 3 months.
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Get the Recipe: Old-Fashioned Gumdrop Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups (500 ml) Sultana raisins, soaked in hot water and drained
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup (226 g) butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) white granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (250 ml) sweetened plain applesauce
- 1 teaspoon baking soda mixed with 1/3 cup hot water
- 1 lb (454 g) gumdrops, *see Note 1 below (about 2 1/4 cups)
- 1 cup (250 ml) chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300F (non-convection/not fan-assisted). Have ready a 10-cup bundt pan.
- Add the raisins to a medium bowl and cover with very hot or boiling water. Stir, then let stand at least 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry before using.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In another medium bowl, stir together the gumdrops, drained and dried raisins and walnuts. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and white sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl well and remix. Add the applesauce and baking powder mixed with the water and mix in well.
- With the mixer on low, spoon in the flour mixture and mix just until well combined. Remove from the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
- Add the gumdrop mixture to the bowl and use a spatula to fold the gumdrop mixture into the batter, distributing the gumdrop mixture evenly through the batter.
- Spray the bundt pan with baking spray. Spoon the batter into the bundt pan and level the top.
- Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 20 minutes – 1 hour 40 minutes or until a tester tests clean. In my oven it is usually about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Be sure to test in several spots as the tester may not be hitting much of the cake part.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the bundt pan for exactly 10 minutes, then invert the pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely. *This cake takes a long time to cool. Count on 3 hours of cooling time.
- Once cooled you can wrap the cake well and store at room temperature for 2-3 days. This cake will also freeze well for up to 3 months.
Notes
More bundt cake recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
I used traditional SPICE DROPS sliced them in half and added pecans instead of walnuts this time. It was SPECTACULAR. A BIG HIT for Christmas
So pleased to hear, Bella. Thanks so much!
I had never heard of a gumdrop cake before. My Bulk Barn did not have any gumdrops so I picked up gumdrops from the baking section of the grocery store.
For the most part, they melted in the cake but this did not affect the wonderful taste.
I also used cooking spray – better to butter and flour the bundt pan if you do not have baking spray.
I will definitely make this cake again using your recommended items!
Thanks.
Thanks Carole Ann! Glad you enjoyed it.
I was thrilled to get this recipe. It wouldn’t be Christmas in our house without a gumdrop cake. I have been making it for many years, and my husband’s mother made it when he was a child. So delicious!!!!
Thanks Patty and yes, I have fond memories of my Grandmother making and sharing this cake as well :)
I’m so pleased, Donna! It was fun to make and was nostalgic for me, as well. Enjoy!
Jennifer I am delighted to see this recipe. It is the exact one my mom used to make. I remember well what a treat it was. I shall be baking it this week. Thank you from an Ontario girl in Nova Scotia.