Fruit Cake Bark is a fun twist on a Christmas classic dessert made with white chocolate, candied fruit, walnuts, gingersnaps and just a pinch of brandy!
We’ve been making a lot of desserts for the Christmas season like Gingerbread Cookies, Gingerbread Cake and this festive Fruitcake Bark. Make sure to dash your way over to my Dessert Recipes section on the site. There are so many yummy holiday desserts and they’re all Santa approved!
FRUIT CAKE BARK
We’ve really been getting into fruit cake recipes lately. It gets such a bad rep that I thought making it into a bark recipe would be a fantastic way to turn it into something everyone would enjoy. It’s great to have out at a party. You can even make a game out of it by doing a blind taste test with staunch fruit cake critics and see their reaction. It might just surprise them by how much they like it.
Here are some of the fun fruit cake and bark recipes so far!
Fruit Cake Muffins
Fruit Cake
Oreo Bark
Peppermint Bark
Fruitcake Bark does include candied fruit to keep it as close to the original fruitcake recipe as possible. If you’ve never used it before it’s basically pieces of fruit (or pieces of peel) that are soaked in sugar syrup that’s heated, which both sweetens and preserves them.
It commonly includes cherries, dates, pineapple, and orange peel. You can either buy it pre-made from the grocery store or make your own diy version. I’m also using white candy coating for the bark base to give it a milky type flavor but you can substitute with white chocolate instead for a more chocolatey taste. It’s just a personal preference so use whatever you prefer.
If you’re putting together your holiday menu, check out the Christmas Recipes section on the site. We’ve got everything you need whether you’re bringing a dish to a potluck, sharing holiday treats or hosting a dinner.
MORE HOLIDAY CANDY RECIPES
Buckeye Balls Recipe
Homemade Turtle Candies
Cake Balls (Cake Truffles)
Oreo Balls (Oreo Truffles)
HOW TO MAKE FRUITCAKE BARK
- In a small bowl, combine candied fruit and brandy.
- Chop the walnuts.
- Break apart the gingersnaps.
- Line a 15×10 inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
- Add your white chocolate melting disks to a microwave safe bowl.
- Melt the white chocolate.
- Spread the melted white chocolate into the jelly roll pan evenly.
- Sprinkle on the chopped fruit, the walnuts and the cookie pieces.
- Refrigerate until hardened then break into pieces (this shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes).
VARIATIONS ON FRUITCAKE BARK
- Add-Ins: This bark recipe is easily customizable to include your favorite dried fruits and nuts. Try making it with pistachios and cranberries for a red and green Christmas theme. Include apricots with macadamia or pecans and cashews. You really have endless options to choose from.
- Chocolate: It’s easy to make this into a fruit cake chocolate bark by using milk chocolate or dark chocolate and spreading it out as a base first. You can then layer this recipe right on top of the melted chocolate once it has hardened.
- Gluten-Free: This recipe can easily be made Gluten-Free by making sure to use Gluten-Free shortbread cookies. Also, even though marshmallows and white candy coating are naturally gluten-free, it’s best to check the labels on the packaging. Some brands might have a cross-contamination issue and it’s better to err on the side of caution.
MORE CLASSIC HOLIDAY DESSERT RECIPES
Apple Pie
Watergate Salad (Pistachio Delight)
Ambrosia Salad
Pumpkin Pie
HOW LONG IS FRUITCAKE BARK GOOD?
- Serve: As long as the Fruitcake Bark is kept in an airtight container, you can store it at room temperature for up to 10 days, after that the nuts might start to soften.
- Store: Fruitcake Bark should save fine in the refrigerator. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container.
- Freeze: The trick to freezing Fruitcake Bark is to make sure that no moisture will be able to get to it. I suggest wrapping it in parchment paper and then again in plastic wrap or foil before placing it into a freezer-safe airtight container or storage bag. It should last up to a few months.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mixed candied fruit , chopped
- 1 tablespoon brandy , optional
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 5 ginger snaps , coarsely chopped
- 20 ounces white chocolate melting disks
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine candied fruit and brandy just while you are preparing the recipe.
- Chop the walnuts.
- Break apart the gingersnaps making sure to discard any crumbs (this will make the bark look dirty).
- Line a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
- Add your white chocolate melting disks to a microwave safe bowl.
- Melt the white chocolate in 30 second increments stirring each time until completely smooth.
- Spread the melted white chocolate into the jelly roll pan evenly.
- Sprinkle on the chopped fruit, the walnuts and the cookie pieces, pressing any in lightly that are not set into the chocolate.
- Refrigerate until hardened then break into pieces (this shouldn't take more than 10 minutes).
Nutrition
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I like this as a sweet tooth craving option. Love the recipe and the ingredients flavorful, Nutty and chocolaty.
It’ll definitely satisfy a craving!
LOVE the combination of 2 holiday favorites. Plus this is so much easier than making a cake!
Definitely!
What an eye-catching holiday recipe!
Thank you, Jessica!
I’ve made Oreo bark before, but I never thought to add fruit to it like this. What a genius idea. The tartness of the fruit contrasts the sweet chocolate perfectly.
It’s a fun festive twist!
This looks so good, and easy. Great for gift giving!
Such a good idea!
Oh my goodness! Your recipes literally take it to the next level. I’m quite the recipe connoisseur thanks to Pinterest (lol) but I have never done so much one stop shopping on one blog before. Thank you so much Sabrina! But back to the topic… this recipe looks amazing! I am going to be making this fruit cake bark this weekend! Thank you so much for sharing!
You are too sweet, Katie! Thank you for your kind words.