Comments on: Vanilla Wafer Icebox Fruitcake

By: Telissa Long

Telissa Long — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 22:47:00 +0000

I’ve always loved this fruitcake! My Mom made it every year and this will be our 1st without her but at least we’ll have some things like this that she used to make. We’re from N AL and it was in her very 1st cookbook she ever got. My son and I usually eat the whole thing 🙂 Wouldn’t be Christmas without it! Thanks for sharing!

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 18:22:35 +0000

In reply to Tommie. Enjoy!

By: Tommie

Tommie — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 15:43:16 +0000

I am so glad you shared this with us. I had lost my recipe I was born and raised in north Alabama but live in the Florida Panhandle now. I always loved this fruit cake

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Sun, 20 Dec 2020 14:05:06 +0000

In reply to Christi Rodgers. Thank you for sharing your sweet memories. Enjoy the recipe! Merry Christmas.

By: Christi Rodgers

Christi Rodgers — Sat, 19 Dec 2020 23:18:10 +0000

MY Maw maw made these every Christmas! The exact recipe as you shared minus the cherries. She rolled hers in a log shape or used a can to shape them. She was from North Alabama and passed away this September at 95 years old. I will be making them this year for the first time. Family traditions! They are really good!

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 23:35:38 +0000

In reply to Cindy Register. Love the tips you shared for your variations.

By: Cindy Register

Cindy Register — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 18:25:34 +0000

So glad I found this recipe. My mother, who was born and raised in Mississippi, used to make a no bake fruit cake roll with crushed graham crackers. She would wrap each roll in foil and freeze. She and her sisters would get together early in December and make a beaucoup of these to put in their freezers. But I never really liked the overwhelming taste of graham crackers. And then I discovered this recipe–same idea really–but with vanilla wafers. Oh my! The wafers are much lighter and the taste not so overpowering. So delicious. So I use all the ingredients of the pecan roll–golden raisins, green and red candied cherries, marshmallows, coconut, pecans–lots of pecans–and add to the condensed milk and vanilla wafers and freeze as a rectangle cake, I don’t use the wafer box. I just line a freezer safe container with foil and freeze. After cake is frozen, cover the top with strips of semi- frozen marzipan and ice with softened mascarpone cheese, and, voila, you have a no bake Christmas cake. Put back in freezer. When ready to display and serve, decorate with some plastic Xmas trees and a little plastic Santa. Yay! Serve while it’s still a little on the cold side so that it will slice. Otherwise it is very sticky.

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Sat, 12 Sep 2020 18:33:25 +0000

In reply to Pinky Roth. Thanks for sharing your sweet memories of your mother.

By: Pinky Roth

Pinky Roth — Sun, 30 Aug 2020 16:12:55 +0000

My mother used to make this every Christmas. She added coconut, candied pineapple and candied cherries in hers. Such fond memories! Thanks for your version as well. Incidentally, I am from originally from Mississippi. I live Georgia now.

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 13:18:52 +0000

In reply to Faye.

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 13:16:03 +0000

In reply to Sandra.

By: Sandra

Sandra — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 07:27:55 +0000

In reply to Jackie Garvin. Jackie..... I am excited to find this recipe. I have been looking for this fruit cake recipe for years. I was pretty young when Mom was making this fruit cake. But I remember her chopping all those ingredients. If my memory doesn’t fail me I ‘m pretty sure she used candied fruits, nuts ,raisins and maybe chopped apples. I always thought she used graham crackers but since I’ve seen that vanilla wafers can be used I’ not sure. Could there be something used other than Eagle Brand milk. My memory fails me on this aspect. Mom did use a loaf pan and she did keep it in the refrigerator but she use to also mailed these cakes to relatives. I can’t remember how she did that if they should stay refrigerated. I know now days it can be done but back 65+years I don’t remember how it was done. Does this type of cake have to stay refrigerated. I have been looking for a no bake fruit cake for years and I believe this recipe is as close as I’m going to get. So I have copy it and put it under lock and key.

By: Faye

Faye — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 06:31:45 +0000

Oh my gosh! I searched last December for this recipe and couldn’t find my mother’s copy anywhere! I stumbled (luckily) on your site tonight. Guess what I’m making for Christmas?! Thank you! One happy girl from Washington County, Alabama!

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Sun, 30 Dec 2018 20:45:25 +0000

In reply to Cindy Sloan. Thanks for sharing your memories with us!

By: Cindy Sloan

Cindy Sloan — Fri, 28 Dec 2018 17:10:49 +0000

Been making these since the 1970s, based on my dad’s childhood memory of his mother’s recipe she made in the 1940s. My grandmother was from south Alabama and our family settled in the Deep South of the Florida Panhandle before 1825.

I also use Vanilla Wafers and place the icebox fruitcake in the wafer box, though I line it with wax paper.

My recipe is similar though I melt miniature marshmallows and orange Circus Peanuts in the sweetened condensed milk. I add chopped pecans, golden seedless raisins, chopped maraschino cherries, and dried coconut. I freeze it, so that it lasts longer. It is more like a sweet, sticky candy and so delicious.

Love Southern recipes!

Thanks for sharing.

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Thu, 29 Nov 2018 20:21:19 +0000

In reply to Vicki smith. Vicki, I’m not sure why it’s sticker than your husband remembers. Fewer raisins may have contributed. I hope you’ll have a chance to try it again. Thanks for stopping by!

By: Vicki smith

Vicki smith — Thu, 29 Nov 2018 19:40:14 +0000

My husband talks about this fruitcake all the time…his mother use to make it. So i tried it but I didn’t I only had a cup of raisins, It tastes amazing but he says it is stickier than he remembers….what did I do wrong? I just joined today and I am loving the recipes I have been reading.

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Sun, 03 Dec 2017 00:09:19 +0000

In reply to Gail. I hope it works out for you, Gail.

By: Gail

Gail — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 23:16:45 +0000

My mother in law made something similar and called it JT”s candy. No cherries, but coconut. Very rich. Pecans, here in Alabama. And, put back in the box, wrapped tightly. I believe I can make it again using this recipe. Thanks!

By: Jackie Garvin

Jackie Garvin — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 01:00:04 +0000

In reply to Jane Cotton.

Hi Jane,

Your mother didn’t put the candy back in vanilla wafer box? You’re so right about this being an old traditional Southern recipe. I’m so glad you found it and it brought back great memories.