Oh my — I just discovered that fruitcake makes incredible stuffing. It was 97 degrees in mid-June, but for some reason I was craving homemade stuffing (or dressing), and the result surprised me.
On Saturday I drove to Waco to assemble what I call a “Plate of Waco.” I toured the Dr Pepper Museum, stopped at Collin Street Bakery, and visited a few other local spots.
The original Collin Street Bakery is in Corsicana, Texas, but there’s also a location on I-35 near Waco. I pass that large white building often; its flashy sign advertising the “World’s Best Chicken Salad” and the “Best Cookies on the Planet!” always catches my eye.
Their chicken salad is excellent, especially served on a light, airy pecan bread.
What truly made the bakery famous is its fruitcake. I’ll admit I wasn’t a fan. My husband’s grandfather used to send us a tin of Collin Street Bakery fruitcake every Christmas, and for years we passed the heavy can along to friends. Later, after watching a Food Network feature, I learned why this cake is so special: it’s packed with premium fruits and nuts and barely coated with batter before baking. Once I tried it, I understood the reputation.
When I make stuffing I often add fruit and nuts — apples, raisins and pecans are common — so the idea of using fruitcake appealed to me. Collin Street’s fruitcake already contains wonderful ingredients like papaya, pineapple, cherries, raisins and pecans.
Fruitcake alone wouldn’t be enough for a hearty stuffing, so I added eight slices of the bakery’s pecan bread. Any bread will work, but pecan bread is a delightful choice: a light white loaf with an extra nutty flavor.
I crumbled the fruitcake and cubed the bread, then toasted both on a sheet pan. While they crisped in the oven I sautéed onion and celery in butter, then combined everything with a few seasonings and chicken broth. After 20 minutes in the oven, I served what quickly became the best stuffing I’ve ever had.
This stuffing is rich and flavorful on its own, so adding meat isn’t necessary. I know stuffing may not be top of mind in June, and you may not have fruitcake handy (unless there’s a leftover tin from the holidays), but this is a recipe worth bookmarking for the next holiday season — or for surprising summer guests at a barbecue.
If you don’t have Collin Street fruitcake nearby, consider ordering a tin and serving it with your next gathering. The mix of fruit, nuts and lightly sweet batter gives an unexpected, delicious twist to traditional stuffing.
Collin Street Bakery Fruitcake Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 9-oz. tin Collin Street Bakery DeLuxe Fruitcake
- 4 cups 8 slices Collin Street Bakery pecan bread (or any bread), cubed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. dry rubbed sage
- ½ tsp. Creole seasoning (optional)
- 1 cup chicken broth
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Crumble the fruitcake and spread it across a sheet pan. Cube the bread and place on the same pan. If you don’t have pecan bread, white or wheat bread works fine. Toast the fruitcake crumbs and bread cubes for about 8 minutes.
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In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped celery and onion and sauté until tender and fragrant.
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Combine the toasted fruitcake crumbs and bread cubes with the sautéed vegetables. Add the salt, sage and Creole seasoning (if using), then pour in the chicken broth and stir until the mixture is evenly moistened.
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Transfer the mixture to a medium baking dish, spreading it evenly.
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Bake in the 350°F oven for about 20 minutes, until heated through and lightly browned on top.
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Remove from the oven, fluff with a fork if desired, and serve warm. Enjoy!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.