BEST Cakes with Fruit {20+ Cake Recipes!}

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Whether you fill them with a fruit puree, dice up a fruit topping, or infuse the flavor with Jell-O, these cakes with fruit pack a punch! Enjoy this collection of sweet and fruity cakes!

More Collections: Easy Cake Recipes, Holiday Cakes, Chocolate Cakes

Flavorful and Fruity Cakes

Fruit is a great way to lighten up any dessert, and spongy cakes are the perfect pairing!

Cakes with fruit are musts in the spring and summer, but these sweet treats are great for any time of the year.

Below in this collection, you’ll find several recipes that are fruit flavored, topped with fruit, or filled with fruit! From fresh berries to bananas, and lemons to pineapples, there’s a fruit cake recipe for every fruit lover.

Cake with fruit - A slice of gooey strawberry cake on a white plate.

Using Seasonal Fruit

Fruit in season will be perfectly ripe and is usually sold at a lower price than when not in season. If you can’t grow your own fruit at home, then the next best thing is your local farmers’ market.

In general, here’s a list of fruits available in each season:

Spring. Apricots, cherries, honeydew, jackfruit, mango, lychee, oranges, pineapple, rhubarb, strawberries, peaches, plums, bananas, kiwi, rhubarb, and lemons.
Summer. Banana, pears, berries, melons, grapes, cherry, figs, citrus fruits, lychee, stone fruit, mangoes, pineapple, passion fruit, apples, nectarines, apricots, peaches, and plums.
Autumn. Asian pear, cactus pear, gooseberries, grapes, huckleberries, passion fruit, pineapple, apples, persimmons, pomegranate, pumpkin, apple, apricots, and peaches.
Winter. Apples, pomegranate, bananas, cranberry, lemon, lime, orange, clementine, grapefruit, dates, kiwi, pears, red currents, cactus pear, and persimmons.

Cakes with fruit - a slice of strawberry cake on a white plate.

tips for using fruit in cakes

Whether you are baking the fruit or simply using fruit as a garnish, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Frozen fruit. Most recipes call for fresh fruit, but sometimes frozen fruit is what is available. Most often frozen fruit can be used, just be sure to thaw the fruit and drain the extra liquid, or you will end up with a mushy and wet dessert.

Fresh fruit. Especially when sliced, it can yield juices that may soak into the cake. Adding cream frosting onto a cake before topping can help keep the cake from getting soggy.

Cutting fruit. Prepare and cut the fruit so that it is uniform in size and shape, especially when baking so that the dessert bakes evenly with a uniform texture.

A slice of apple cake topped with vanilla ice cream on a white plate.

Wait to add. Since fruit often weeps after a period of time, wait to add the fruit topping to the cake as close to the serving time as possible.

Treat fruit. Treat fresh-cut fruit with Fruit Fresh Powder, or dip it in diluted lemon juice. These treatments help keep the fruit from discoloring.

How to keep fruit from sinking in batter. If you are making a cake that calls for adding fruit to the batter, I suggest you lightly toss the fruit in all-purpose flour, or even a spoon full of the dry cake powder before you fold it into the cake batter. The thin coat of flour will help keep the fruit from sinking to the bottom.

Adding fruit to classic recipes. Sponge cake and Angel Food Cake often display a beautiful fruit topping. Classic Chocolate Cake or Vanilla is perfect for adding fresh fruit in between the cake layers.

Close up of a slice of banana pudding poke cake on a white plate.

tips for topping cakes with fruit

Coat with preserves. If your fruit is layered in a way that it completely covers the top of the cake, you can brush a thin layer of warm fruit preserves on top. Not only does it give the fruit a nice sheen, but it helps keep the fruits from drying out.

Individually brush the fruits with the preserves before placing them on the cake.

Warm apricot jam works well for yellow fruits.
Warm red currant preserves work well to brush over red fruits.
Neutral flavored glaze can also work. This glaze is often found in the produce section at the market.

Cakes with fruit - a slice of chiffon cake topped with fresh berries.

Frosted appearance. Another beautiful way to present fruit is to give it a frosted appearance. This would be perfect for Christmas fruit cakes, or for a special occasion.

This works best for uncut fruits such as grapes, whole strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.

In a bowl add the egg white from a pasteurized egg and beat.
Sift extra fine powdered sugar into a separate bowl.
Dip the fruit into the egg white and then into the sugar
Place the fruit on parchment paper to dry.

Cakes with fruit - a slice of lime sheet cake on a white plate.

Storing Cakes with Fruit

ROOM TEMPERATURE. If the fruit topping is cooked and doesn’t include eggs, then you can safely store the cake at room temperature for up to 2 days.

CHILL. Cakes with fresh fruit on top or a fruity-filled middle should always be stored in the refrigerator. It may be prudent to remove the fruit topping before storing it.

Never FREEZE cake with a fresh fruit topping. If it is possible remove the fruit and warp the cake with plastic wrap and again with foil before freezing. See the individual recipe for specific storage instructions.