When buying ingredients to make a cake for our 3 year anniversary, I realized what I really wanted was a cake from my childhood. Each birthday my dad would bring home a fruit cake from an Italian Bakery in our town. It was so delicious served cold, and I remember the fruit filling rotated depending on the season between peaches and strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Since moving away from home, I pine for the fruit cake at most celebrations. While I didn't follow a recipe, my Italian bakery replacement was simple and actually surprisingly similar to the original.
I made a standard vanilla cake and topped the bottom layer with vanilla pudding (Trader Joe's boxed variety).
Strawberries and bananas are two of Chase's favorites, so I went with the classic combination.
It was a delicate task adding a second layer of pudding to support the cake.
I think the Italian fruit cake had frosting, but I whipped up cream in my mixer, and it proved easier to spread than frosting.
Until I find another Italian bakery with delicious fruit cakes, this cake will be a nice substitute.
