The Grocery Store That's Used The Same Fruit Cake Recipe Over 50 Years

Love it or hate it, fruit cake is a holiday staple that is here to stay. Luckily, fruit cakes are readily available at most stores seasonally, or can be made at home. However, Southern-based grocery chain Publix, has a fruit cake that's quite unique. Publix supplies its fruit cakes to its many locations, using the same recipe developed over 50 years ago. We can thank Dale Olinger, the store's first bakery manager, for creating the iconic fruit cake recipe that is still in use today.

Part of what makes Publix a popular grocery store is its commitment to quality products and attentive customer service. Each of the stores either has an on-site bakery or has fresh products delivered from the chain's bakery plant, including its seasonal items like fruit cake. Customers wanting the traditional Christmas classic can pick up a 13-ounce fruit cake for their holiday dessert. 

Those who have never experienced a traditional fruit cake may be surprised to know that it is not similar to a traditional fluffy birthday cake. Fruit cakes are dense and filled with soaked nuts and an assortment of dried fruit. Since Publix has delivered on quality and taste for years, their fruit cake is a trusted dessert for devoted fans, or those enjoying it for the first time. 

Many stores sell fruit cakes around the holidays, but Publix 's commitment to an unchanged recipe is impressive. So, what makes it so consistently good? The fruit cake contains a combination of a flavorful candied fruit, including pineapples, cherries, and golden raisins. While a classic fruit cake recipe includes a rum soak, Publix does not appear to use any alcohol in its recipe — which may make it accessible to more people, including kids. Instead, the store uses a sweet glaze made with corn syrup. 

The store's fruit cake is only sold as a seasonal item (alongside other seasonal dessert offerings like snowman cakes, gingerbread man cookie cakes, and pies galore), so it's meant to be savored each year for a limited time. If you purchase a fruit cake early in the season, but want to serve it at Christmas, no need to worry. Fruit cakes are notorious for having a long shelf life, but in reality, the cakes last two to three months when refrigerated. The good news is that the fruit cake from Publix is excellent served chilled. And just like all of Publix's products, the store offers a customer satisfaction guarantee, where they give a full refund if you do not like the product — so why not try out the long-standing recipe for yourself?