These Are the Five-Star Fruitcakes You Wouldn't Want to Give Away

(SPOT.ph) It’s been called the "worst" Christmas present, one that's made to be regifted (and regifted, and regifted)—thus the famous line by The Tonight Show's Johnny Carson about there only being one fruitcake in the world and people just keeping on giving it to each other. There’s even the infamous fruitcake toss—literally a game where you toss, well, fruitcake—that’s been held annually in Manitou Springs, Colorado since 1996.

For the record, we're talking about the kind common in the U.S. that's made its way here, being made of candied and dried fruits and nuts often soaked in liquor, then baked into a dense cake meant to age and get better with time (to an extent). That it’s the butt of jokes pushes the narrative that fruitcake is inherently terrible, and this fan of the dessert is tired of it. Fruitcake deserves better, folks.

Granted, there are plenty of sad, saccharine versions around perhaps saturated with cheap liquor or full of low-quality candied fruit, that have (misleadingly) come to be the definition of what fruitcake is. It's also no dainty treat; with some exceptions, most versions around are heavyweights with no icing to keep it company, and embellishments are mostly limited to the addition of more candied fruit and nuts on top.

But there excellent fruitcakes around waiting to be discovered. Good fruitcakes exist, folks, and oh, are they superb stuff. With their use of naturally flavorful and aromatic ingredients (dried fruit, liquor, spices) and the fact that they're typically aged for at least some weeks (months or even years in the case of some versions!), the resulting bake delivers warming and potent forkfuls and bites—and plenty of complexity in the taste department. A good fruitcake should make you stop, close your eyes for at least a few seconds, and ponder the mingling of elements (maybe even the meaning of life) as you chew through. These are some of our favorite versions in Manila.

Also read:  
Top 10 Fruitcakes in Manila 
Yeast the Season: Where to Order Excellent Panettone + Stollen in Manila

Check out these fruitcakes from stores and purveyors in Manila:

Ju D’s Fruitcakes

It’s in the name. This Quezon City-based, family-owned venture has been making fruitcakes for 48 years now, and their short but sweet lineup includes four variations of the dessert. The Classic (P1,950) has your textbook cherries, raisins, candied fruit, and a good amount of rum and brandy, while the Coffee Fruitcake (P1,950) adds Blue Mountain coffee and Kahlua to the mix. There’s also the Coffee Prune Cake (P1,950) that’s free of candied fruit, instead being made with prunes and walnuts plus brandy and coffee liquor. The author’s personal favorite, however, is the Golden Fruitcake (P1,950)—a bright alternative to the commonly deep, dark fruitcakes, being laced with honey, golden apricots, cranberries, walnuts, rum, and brandy.

For orders, contact 8633-1188 or 8633-0260. You can also check out Ju D’s Fruitcakes’ Facebook page.

Casa San Luis

Casa San Luis’ formerly available Lola Melba’s Fully Loaded Fruitcake reigned supreme in our Top 10 Fruitcakes list in 2015. Their current offering, the Signature Year Old Fruitcake (P1,500/six inches), is a standout in its own right, and though it’s been sold out as of writing it still deserves to be on your radar for the years to come. Served in a tin can, its top surface is studded with candied cherries and nuts arranged in a concentric fashion, loosely resembling parol; cut through and you’re met with an cake base so moist and dense, it sticks to the knife and almost crosses over to pudding levels. It’s the kind that’ll leave you buzzed after downing a slice, thanks in no small part to its year-long aging process in brandy. Sure doesn’t hurt it’s illuminated by the dried fruits in the mix (we’re pretty sure there’s pineapple in there).

Casa San Luis also introduces a new, limited-edition player this 2023: the Coffee & Pecan Fruitcake (P2,200/eight inches) that gets added depth and nuttiness from its namesake.

For orders, fill out Casa San Luis’ order form. You can also check out their Instagram page.

Leonisa’s Kitchen

You might know Leonisa’s Kitchen for their cream puffs and entremets, but for this Christmas, the purveyor’s also added the Festive Fruitcake (P990) to their roster. Strewn into each loaf is a mix of brandy- and rum-soaked cranberries, raisins, cherries, apricot, prunes, dates, glazed fruits, walnuts, and pecans—that way, you get a part-fruity, part-nutty sensation in every forkful.

For orders, send a message to Leonisa’s Kitchen on Facebook or Instagram.

Mary Grace Café

Fruitcake may be enjoyed seasonally, but there’s really no reason it should only be offered once a year—or so we'd like to argue. Mary Grace gets it. Whether it’s April or December, you can count on their Classic Fruitcake (P668) to sate the hankering for the dessert. The bakeshop’s take features a mix of glazed fruits and walnuts in a squidgy loaf brushed generously with brandy—and it's consistently swoon-worthy all year 'round.

For orders, visit Mary Grace Café’s website.

From Betina Legarda’s Kitchen

A favorite of the well-heeled, Betina Legarda’s Heirloom Spanish Fruitcake (starts at P200/classic solo round cupcake size) takes after a recipe Legarda learned “from generations before me.” Consider it a fruitcake for those who like it dark and complex, with the strong note of molasses in its base and liquor-saturated crumb. Generous amounts of nuts and candied fruit add taste and textural variety, too.

For orders, send a message to From Betina Legarda’s Kitchen’s Instagram page.

Marlene Monfort

While fruitcake reigns supreme in America, in the UK and other countries, it’s all about Christmas pudding—a distinct but related dessert that Marlene Monfort’s Dream Fruitcake (P700/can) closely resembles. This arrives as a dark, glossy confection adorned with candied cherries; inside it’s packed with sticky candied fruit, dates, and walnuts, with just enough batter to hold everything together. Brushed with Kirschwasser molasses, the resulting confection is especially rich and best consumed in small doses.

For orders, send a message to Marlene Monfort’s Instagram page.

The Vegetarian Kitchen

The Vegetarian Kitchen’s The Good Fruitcake (P500/500 grams, P700/700 grams) does away with the butter and eggs (yup, it’s vegan!), but doesn’t skimp on flavor. Whatever your dietary preferences, this is a great option for lovers of texture as it’s chock-full of relatively big chunks of glazed fruits, dates, dried cranberries, and nuts soaked in brandy.

For orders, contact 8819-9438 or send a message to The Vegetarian Kitchen’s Facebook page.

Bonus: the Yulo Fruitcake

This one's a bit of an insider treat that's sold in very limited quantities (and isn't quite available to the public, at least not as of writing)—but know that you don't want to miss out if you do get the chance to get your hands on it. The famous fruitcake by Ms. Yulo ticks all the right boxes, and then some: generous amounts of fruit, moist and rich yet substantial crumb, heady aroma, and deep, dark, fruitcake-y goodness through and through.

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