Name: Granny Tag's Prune Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour; 1 tsp. baking soda; 1 tsp. salt; 1 tsp. nutmeg; 1 tsp. allspice; 1 tsp. cinnamon; 1 1/2 cups sugar; 1 cup buttermilk; 1 cup vegetable oil; 1 tsp. vanilla; 3 eggs, beaten; 1 cup prunes, chopped; 1 cup pecans, chopped; 1/4 cup butter, melted; 1 cup sugar; 1 Tbsp. white corn syrup; 1/2 tsp. salt; 1 tsp. vanilla; 1/2 cup buttermilk; 1/2 tsp. baking soda

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Have you ever tasted a vintage prune cake? It might sound strange, but when I was a little girl, Granny Tag’s Prune Cake was the best thing I’d ever tasted in my life. I kinda think it still is.

a slice of prune cake with whipped cream on top

Why You’ll Love This Cake

If you love carrot cake, you’ll be crazy about Granny Tag’s Prune Cake. It’s moist, sweet, and has the perfect touch of spicy goodness. It’s also topped with a yummy caramel glaze!

Watching Granny make this dessert is one of my favorite memories. Making it again after all this time brought tears to my eyes, especially when I baked it in the exact same pan she used over 50 years ago.

glaze being drizzled on top of prune cake

Meet Granny Tag

If you’ve read some of my other stories, you know that Granny Tag was a sassy character. She grew up in Pennsylvania, and somehow landed in the Blue Ridge mountains as a young girl.

Embracing southern life had to be a shock, but she faced it head on. Making this cake was one of her first attempts at southern cuisine.

There are several prune cake recipes out there, but this one was written in Granny Tag’s own handwriting. It’s been passed down through our family for ages, so it’s very special to me.

When Granny would ask me to poke the prune cake with a fork before she poured on the hot icing, I would get so excited I could hardly stand myself.

How to Make It

I remember going into the pantry and helping Granny choose the ingredients she needed to bring this recipe to life. She always found ways to include me in the cooking process, which planted seeds forever.

To make Granny Tag’s Prune Cake, simply combine the dry ingredients together, then add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Stir in prunes and pecans, and bake the whole she-bang in a 13 X 9 inch pan for 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

While the cake is cooking, boil the glaze on the stove in a large pot. When the cake comes out of the oven, poke it with a fork, then pour the hot glaze on top. Woo…Whee! Now, we’re talking!

What’s The Secret Ingredient?

The addition of buttermilk in both the cake and glaze makes this dessert moist and delicious. A little bit of allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg creates a spicy blend that’s perfect for autumn. It also goes great with a hot cup of coffee in the morning!

I hope you’ll share this recipe with your children and pass on the love. Even though it’s a vintage cake, it’s still one of the most flavorful desserts you’ll ever enjoy.

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