Jamaican Fruit Cake — Print Recipe

A dense, dark, rum-soaked Jamaican fruit cake loaded with dried fruits macerated in rum and wine for months, traditionally baked for Christmas and weddings.

Ingredients

2 cups mixed dried fruits (raisins, currants, prunes, cherries)
1 cup dark rum
1 cup red wine
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
4 large eggs
2 tsp browning sauce (for color)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp mixed spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1 Chop the dried fruits finely and soak them in a mixture of dark rum and red wine in a sealed jar for at least 2 weeks (traditionally several months), shaking occasionally.
2 Cream the softened butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla and browning sauce.
3 Sift the flour, baking powder, mixed spice, and salt together, then fold into the creamed mixture alternately with the rum-soaked fruits and their liquid until fully combined.
4 Pour the batter into a greased and lined 9-inch round cake pan, smooth the top, and bake at 300°F (150°C) for 2 to 2.5 hours until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
5 While the cake is still warm, poke holes in the top and pour additional rum over it to keep it moist, then wrap tightly in foil and age for at least one week before serving.

Did You Know?

Jamaican families begin soaking their fruit cake fruits as early as January for the following Christmas, and some recipes call for fruits soaked for an entire year to achieve the deepest flavor.