Recipe(tried): Orange Slice Fruitcake

This recipe sounded great until I got to all that citron, lemon and orange peel in the cake. That is what I find so distasteful in "store-bought" fruitcakes. For another "Tennessee" fruitcake, try this. This one pours orange an juice-sugar mixture over the cake after baking. (I'm from Tennessee)

ORANGE SLICE FRUIT CAKE (orange slice candy)
250 degrees for 2 1/2 hours
(baking time may change if you add all the other ingredients I mention *)

1 Cup butter or margarine (2 sticks) 2 cups chopped pecans (or more)
2 cups sugar 1 lb. Dates (cut up)
4 eggs 1 lb. Flaked Coconut
1 1/3 cups buttermilk 1 lb. Orange Candy slices
4 cups flour (or less,cut in small pieces)
pinch of salt
1 tsp. Soda See below *

Above is main recipe. This cake has a light colored batter, so the cake is not as dark as most fruitcakes. I sometimes reduce the sugar content by reducing the amount of orange slice candy and the sugar in the mixture I pour over the cake. * I have also made this same recipe and added chopped figs, white or red raisins, extra nuts, candied pineapple & cherries to the flour mixture while cutting back on the orange slice candy pieces. Adding this extra stuff all worked out with the main recipe and made it a richer, prettier and more nutty-fruity cake. I NEVER add citron. I have always thought that is what ruins store bought fruitcakes. This cake is good frozen. I just slice it frozen and have it with a cup of coffee or milk.

MIXING INSTRUCTIONS
Melt butter, cool it an cream with sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add 1 cup of your buttermilk - then to remaining buttermilk, add the soda, stir and add to egg mixture. Mix, nuts, dates, orange slice candy (all cut up) and coconut with the flour, then add to egg mixture. Blend well and pour into a large tube pan and bake at 250 degrees for 2 hours or until done. While cake is still hot, pour the mixture of 1 cup orange juice & 1 cup (or less) sugar over cake. (mix juice & sugar while cake bakes. )