Traditional Tennessee Fruitcake

This old-fashioned Tennessee fruitcake is rich, moist, and packed with pecans, raisins, candied fruits, and warm spices. Unlike many commercial fruitcakes, this homemade version is tender, flavorful, and improves with age.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Cooling Time: 2 hours
Total Time: About 4½ hours
Yield: 1 large (10-inch) tube or Bundt cake (16–20 servings)

---

Ingredients

Fruit & Nuts

• 2 cups pecan halves, chopped
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
• 2 cups seedless raisins
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup chopped dried dates
• 1 cup candied cherries (red and green), halved
• 1 cup mixed candied fruit peel
• ½ cup chopped dried apricots (optional)

Dry Ingredients

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks/226 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ cup molasses
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract (optional)
• Zest of 1 orange

Optional Glaze (for aging)

• ¼ cup bourbon, Tennessee whiskey, dark rum, or apple juice

---

Instructions

1. Prepare the Pan

• Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
• Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan, or line it with parchment paper.

2. Prepare the Fruit

• In a large bowl, combine:
  • Raisins
  • Cranberries
  • Dates
  • Candied cherries
  • Candied peel
  • Apricots
  • Pecans
  • Walnuts
• Sprinkle with ½ cup of the flour and toss well to coat. This helps prevent the fruit from sinking.

3. Make the Batter

• Whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
• In another large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy (3–4 minutes).
• Beat in the eggs one at a time.
• Mix in the molasses, orange juice, vanilla, almond extract, and orange zest.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients until just combined.
• Fold in the fruit-and-nut mixture gently until evenly distributed.

4. Bake

• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
• Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
• If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil during the last 30 minutes.

5. Cool

• Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
• Turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

---

Optional Aging Method (Traditional)

For the richest flavor:

1. Brush the cooled cake with 2–3 tablespoons bourbon, Tennessee whiskey, dark rum, or apple juice.
2. Wrap tightly in cheesecloth or parchment, then plastic wrap, then foil.
3. Store in a cool place or refrigerator.
4. Re-brush with 1–2 tablespoons of liquid every 1–2 weeks.
5. Age for 3–6 weeks before serving.

---

Serving Suggestions

• Dust lightly with powdered sugar.
• Serve with coffee or hot tea.
• Add whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
• Garnish with candied orange slices and whole pecans.

---

Storage

• Room Temperature: Up to 1 week, tightly wrapped.
• Refrigerator: Up to 1 month.
• Freezer: Up to 6 months; wrap well to prevent freezer burn.

---

Approximate Nutrition (per slice, based on 18 servings)

• Calories: 430
• Protein: 6 g
• Carbohydrates: 49 g
• Fat: 24 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Sugar: 34 g

Baker’s Tips

• Toast the pecans and walnuts for 5–8 minutes before adding them to deepen their flavor.
• Use high-quality candied fruit for the best taste and texture.
• Don’t overmix once the flour is added, as this can make the cake dense.
• This fruitcake tastes even better after a few days, making it an excellent make-ahead holiday dessert.