Forktionary

Aunt Isabel's Bishop's Cake Recipe

This treasured recipe, passed down from Aunt Isabel (born 1900), is a delicious and slightly dense fruitcake perfect for Christmas. A true Methodist tradition, this updated recipe boasts a rich, moist texture, studded with dates, pecans, cherries, and decadent chocolate chips. Learn from my baking mishaps (and triumphs!) to create this unforgettable cake, thinly sliced and shared with loved ones. See the photos for visual inspiration!

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 90 mins
Calories 268.9 kcal
Protein 6g
Rating 5.0 (4 Reviews)
Aunt Isabel's Bishop's Cake 109

Recipe Actions

Share this recipe:

Recipe Author

Chef Forktionary, author of this recipe

Recipe adapted from Food.com. Standardized by Forktionary.

Ingredients for Aunt Isabel's Bishop's Cake

  • 1 cup pitted dates
  • 1 cup pecan halves
  • 1 cup dried cherries
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter
  • 0 baking powder (baking soda used instead)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Cook Smarter with Sous, Your Kitchen Companion

Missing an ingredient for this Aunt Isabel's Bishop's Cake? Need a perfect wine pairing or a healthy side dish idea? Don't guess—ask Sous! Your AI-powered sous-chef is ready to help you swap ingredients, adjust serving sizes, and discover flavor tips in seconds.

How to Make Aunt Isabel's Bishop's Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
  2. Chop 1 cup pitted dates, 1 cup pecan halves, and 1 cup dried cherries. Set aside in separate bowls.
  3. Lightly dust the chopped dates with 1 teaspoon of flour.
  4. In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter and 2 large eggs until light and fluffy.
  5. In a separate bowl, sift together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
  7. Stir in the dates, pecans, and cherries, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
  8. Finally, stir in 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.
  9. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.
  10. Bake for 90-105 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. (Start checking at 90 minutes).
  11. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before attempting to remove it. This prevents crumbling!
  12. Once completely cool, carefully remove the cake from the pan using the parchment paper.

Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)

Sodium

4 g

Sugar

100g

Fat

32g

Carbs

11g

Recipe Categories (Choose a category and find related recipes!)

Sweets & Sides Desserts American Vegetarian Holiday Recipes Baking

Recipe Tags (Choose a tag and find related recipes!)

Time To Make Course Main Ingredient Preparation Occasion For Large Groups Desserts Eggs Dairy Fruit Holiday Event Cakes Chocolate Eggs Number Of Servings 4 Hours Or Less