Christmas Cake (Jamaican Black Cake)

(from Baking in the sun’s recipe box)

Preparing Fruits for Baking: Wash fruit well. Soak fruits in 2 cups port wine and 2 cups rum for at least 4 weeks before baking.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups mixed dried fruits (raisins, currants, prunes, citron, cherries, dates)
  • 3 cups port wine
  • 3 cups white rum (preferably Appleton)
  • 1/2 lb. butter
  • 1/2 lb. granulated sugar (brown sugar is traditional but Valrie says granulated dissolves quicker)
  • 6 eggs
  • 12 oz. all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp browning
  • 1 tsp Benjamin vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 2 tsp lemon juice

Directions

  1. To bake the cake:

  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

  3. Grease a 10-inch baking tin with butter or margarine. Line the tin with wax paper.

  4. Mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

  5. Add eggs, one at a time, and continue beating until mixture is smooth.

  6. Add flour and baking powder and continue to mix.

  7. Blend in browning, vanilla, almond, nutmeg, allspice, and lemon juice.

  8. In a blender or processor, grind fruits and add to mixture.

  9. Add 1 cup rum and 1 cup wine and mix well. Place in oven.

  10. Cake is baked when a knife is inserted into center of cake and comes out clean. Check cake after an hour. This will make approximately 4 lbs. of cake. If you’re baking it weeks or months in advance, continue basting it periodically with wine.

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