Tennessee Fruitcake
A classic fruitcake recipe from 1958 returns just in time for Christmas
By Kate Lawson / Detroit News Food Writer
Fruitcake fans, never fear. It's not too late to whip up some of this
traditional bread that's considered the consummate Christmas
tradition (whether you love it or hate it, is another matter).
Frances Simmons of Clinton Township requested this Tennessee
fruitcake made with chocolate that ran in The News years ago. In
fact, a few readers sent their actual yellowed clipping of the recipe
that's dated November 1958.
Cecelia Barr of Grosse Pointe Woods sent a copy of her clipping
complete with annotations scribbled on the page. Barr says she's made
this recipe for a number of years and "it's wonderful."
In the news clipping, Kay Kopera, then household editor for The News,
wrote, "Through the years we have tried many recipes for fruitcake.
We think that Tennessee fruitcake is just a little bit better than
others of its type - rich dark cake with lots of fruit and just
enough batter to hold it together."
I couldn't agree more. This one's a keeper, so better clip and save.
Tennessee Fruitcake
1/2 pound candied pineapple
1 pound dates
1/4 pound candied citron
1/4 pound candied lemon peel
1/4 pound candied orange peel
1/2 pound currants
1 pound seedless raisins
1/2 pound candied cherries
1/2 pound blanched almonds
1/2 pound pecan halves
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
6 eggs
1 ounce (1 square) chocolate, melted and cooled
1/2 cup fruit juice or sweet wine
1/2 cup honey
Cube the pineapple and dates. Cut citron, lemon peel and orange peel
into thin strips. Combine pineapple, dates, citron and peel with
currants, raisins, cherries, almonds and pecans.
Sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Add sifted
ingredients to fruit and nut mixture and blend. Cream together butter
and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in chocolate, fruit
juice and honey.
Add fruit mixture and blend. (This is a heavy mixture, best mixed
with the hands.) Bake in pans lined with greased brown paper or foil.
This recipe will fill 4 3 3/4x7 1/2x 2-inch pans, 2 4 1/2x8 1/2x2
1/2-inch pans, 2 5x9x2 1/2-inch pans or a 10-inch tube pan.
Bake in slow oven at 250 degrees F., 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours, depending
on the size of the cake. For instance, a 1-pound cake (1 pound, 2
ounces of batter) will take about 2 1/2 hours; a 4-pound cake (4 1/2
pounds of batter) will take about 4 1/2 hours.
Place a shallow pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven. Refill it
if it boils dry. Makes 7 1/2 pounds of cake.
Per serving: 413 calories; 14.5 g fat (4.6 g saturated fat; 32
percent calories from fat); 70.4 g carbohydrates; 50 mg cholesterol;
91 mg sodium; 5.2 g protein; 5 g fiber.
List of Ingredients
Instructions
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