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Best Fruitcake In Chicago

Just the name 'fruitcake' conjures up images of dry or inedible cakes. But don't let the fruitcake's bad rap stop you from trying a moist slice. With the plethora of bakeries in and around Chicago, truly good fruit cake does exist. While its a rare find, you can't go wrong at these five wonderful bakeries.

Dinkel's Bakery
(Photo Credit: Dinkel's Bakery's Facebook)

Dinkel's Bakery
3329 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 281-7300
www.dinkels.com

For any pastry or dessert, this bakery institution in West Lakeview is the place to be. Many items can be made to order, and many are based on decades-old recipes that have been passed down through the family... including the recipe for fruit cake. The recipe dates back to 1922, and is quite the rich treat. The moist cake is wonderfully spiced and is packed with fruits and pecans. This is a treat that many will enjoy.

A Taste Of Heaven Bakery & Cafe
5401 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 989-0151
www.atohchicago.com

This Andersonville bakery and cafe has just about everything -- from sandwiches to french toast. But back when they first opened in 1994, they also had another item on the menu, one that's still there to this day: "edible fruitcake." The name, of course, came from the owner having to consistently tell people that the fruitcake wasn't like the inedible versions that they might have remembered from the childhoods. In fact, it's nothing like it. Rather, it's a vanilla bean sour cream pound cake with dried fruit mixed in, along with orange oil and brandy. Match made in heaven at A Taste of Heaven? We think so.

Bakery
(Photo Credit: swedishbakery.com)

Swedish Bakery
5348 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 561-8919
www.swedishbakery.com

Time and time again, Swedish Bakery is regaled for having some of the best desserts, even beyond Chicago. Their menu is incredibly extensive, but if you want one that will surely please and delight your guests, while also not being totally gluttonous (if only because it includes fruit), go for their mixed fruit cake. This isn't a traditional fruit cake by any means. It's made with a yellow cake, a layer of custard, and then topped with a layer of mixed fruits galore (all surrounded by whipped cream). There won't be a crumb left at the dessert table.

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Wolf's Bakery
3241 W 95th St.
Chicago, IL 60805
(708) 422-7429
www.wolfsbakery.net

Located out in Blue Island, this bakery is known for a few items, from the lemon fluff cakes to the atomic cake. The atomic cake can be considered a fruit cake in a way, too, considering it features strawberries and bananas... and chocolate cake and yellow cake, and whipped cream. (There's a reason it's called atomic). But if you're looking for a traditional fruitcake, they have that too. This one is moist, made as it is with brandy and is chock full of pecans, golden raisins as well as candied fruit; it's a favorite throughout the holiday season.

Calumet Bakery
2510 E. 106th St.
Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 721-3747
www.calumetbakery.com

For a few different fruit cake options, head south to Calumet Bakery, which has three locations (one being in Indiana). For a less traditional, but no less tasty, fruit cake, go for their passion fruit cake, which is loaded with sugary fruit toppings. For a more traditional fruitcake, opt for their holiday rum creme cake — as the name implies, it's made with rum, pecans and, of course, candied fruit!

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Elizabeth SanFilippo is a freelance writer, who enjoys trying new foods from all over the world. But her favorite city for culinary treats will always be Chicago. When not blogging about food, she's working part-time at a culinary vacation company, The International Kitchen, based in the Windy City, as well as repping Younique cosmetics and skincare products. Some of her writing can be found at Examiner.com.

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