You don’t have to be in Kentucky to make a bourbon fruitcake.

But you should absolutely use Kentucky bourbon wherever you are.

Most fruitcakes are made with rum or brandy, which are both wonderful spirits for thisold-fashioned dessert.

Southern Living Kentucky Bourbon Fruitcake sliced and ready to serve

Credit:Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

But we’re in the South, and we use the spirit of the Bluegrass State.

It’s dense, chewy, and very much a rich dessert.

No matter where you serve it, just don’t skip the caramel frosting.

Southern Living Kentucky Bourbon Fruitcake sliced and ready to serve with sparkling wine

Credit:Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Can You Make Kentucky Bourbon Fruitcake In Advance?

Make and add the glaze just before serving.

Ingredients

Cake:

2cupsbourbon

1 1/2cups(10 oz.

Southern Living Kentucky Bourbon Fruitcake ingredients

Credit:Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

)candied red cherries, halved

1cup(5 oz.

)golden raisins

1cup(5 oz.

)dried currants

Baking spray

2cupsgranulated sugar

1cupunsalted butter, softened

4largeeggs

3cups(12 3/4 oz.

Southern Living Kentucky Bourbon Fruitcake making the bourbon soaked fruit

Credit:Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

)all-purpose flour

2tsp.baking soda

2tsp.kosher salt

2tsp.ground cinnamon

1tsp.ground cloves

1/2cupsunsweetened apple sauce

4cups(12 3/4 oz.

Drain and reserve 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons bourbon.

Prepare oven and Bundt pan:

Preheat oven to 300F.

Southern Living Kentucky Bourbon Fruitcake adding the eggs ot the butter mixture

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Coat a 15-cup Bundt pan with baking spray.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, about 1 minute total.

Stir in pecans and drained fruit.

Southern Living Kentucky Bourbon Fruitcake adding the rest of the cake batter ingredients

Credit:Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Remove from oven; cool in pan 15 minutes.

Invert onto a wire rack and cool completely, about 2 hours.

Southern Living Kentucky Bourbon Fruitcake folding in the fruit and nuts

Credit:Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Prepare the Bourbon-Caramel Glaze:

Stir together sugar and water in a medium saucepan.

Transfer to a heat-proof medium bowl and cool completely, about 1 hour.

Drizzle glaze over cake.

Southern Living Kentucky Bourbon Fruitcake adding the batter to the pan

Credit:Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Southern Living Kentucky Bourbon Fruitcake cooking the sugar mixture to an amber color

Credit:Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Southern Living Kentucky Bourbon Fruitcake cooking the glaze

Credit:Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Southern Living Kentucky Bourbon Fruitcake whisking the cream into the glaze

Credit:Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Southern Living Kentucky Bourbon Fruitcake drizzling the glaze over the cake

Credit:Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless