Are you looking for a delicious and unique cake to serve at your next gathering? Look no further than Jamaican fruit cake! Also known as Jamaican black cake, this rich and flavorful dessert is a staple in Jamaican cuisine and is sure to impress.
What sets Jamaican fruit cake apart from other cakes like my tuxedo recipe is its use of dried fruit soaked in rum. This gives the cake a deep, complex flavor that is sure to dazzle your guests.
Making Jamaican fruit cake is a labor of love, as the fruit needs to be soaked in rum for several days before being blended with the other ingredients.
However, the result is well worth the effort. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion like Christmas or just want to treat yourself to a delicious dessert, Jamaican fruit cake is sure to impress.
Table of contents
Why I Love This Cake Recipe
- Rich flavors and textures: I love the deep, bold flavors of the soaked fruits, spices, and rum, combined with the dense, moist texture that makes each bite satisfying.
- Perfect for special occasions: It’s a treat that feels special, whether it’s during the holidays or for a family gathering, making every moment more memorable with its unique taste.
- Sharing joy with others: Whether for holidays or gatherings, I enjoy how this cake brings people together, making any occasion feel extra special.
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Ingredients For Jamaican Fruit Cake
Jamaican fruit cake is a classic dessert enjoyed during the holiday season. To make this cake, you will need a few essential ingredients. The following list includes the most important ingredients that you should have on hand:
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour to make Jamaican fruit cake. It provides the cake with structure and texture.
- Sugar: Brown sugar is the preferred type of sugar for this recipe. It adds a rich, caramel flavor to the cake.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is the best type of butter to use for this recipe. It adds richness and flavor to the cake.
- Fruits: Use a mixture of dried fruits in your Jamaican fruit cake. The most popular fruits include raisins, prunes, currants, and cherries.
- Eggs: Used to bind the ingredients together and add moisture to the cake.
- Vanilla extract: To enhance the flavor of the cake.
- Baking powder: To help the cake rise and become light and fluffy.
- Rum: Jamaican Fruit Cake is all about the rum flavor. I use Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum. Use it to soak the dried fruits and add it to the cake batter.
- Spices: Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves (optional) balance the sweetness of the fruits and rum, creating a rich, aromatic experience with every bite.
- Nuts: They provide a satisfying crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft, dense cake, balancing the sweetness of the soaked fruits and spices. Nuts also give the cake a bit of variety, making each bite a little different and more exciting!
- Cherry Liquor: It enhances the cake’s rich flavor, helps preserve its moisture, and deepens the intensity of the rum-soaked fruits,
How To Make A Jamaican Fruit Cake
Soak Mixed Fruits
For a richer flavor, you can soak the fruits in red wine, port wine, or rum for several days before baking. This will give your cake a delicious and authentic taste. You can also add cherry liquor or white rum to the cake batter for an extra kick.
Creaming Butter and Sugar
To make a moist Jamaican fruit cake, you need to first, cream the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. You can use a stand mixer or a large wooden spoon for this process.
Add Vanilla & Eggs
Next, add vanilla extract and lime juice to the creamed butter and sugar and mix until homogenous. Then add the eggs one at a time and mix well. If you’re using an electric mixer, make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure that everything is well incorporated.
Add Dry Ingredients
Add in the salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and ground all-spice and mix. In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Then, add this mixture to the cake batter, a little at a time.
Add Lime Zest & Soaked Fruit
Add the grated zests of a lemon to the batter and lightly mix. Then add in soaked fruit. You can either add in fruits whole or use a food processor to blend the soaked fruits before adding them to the cake batter. Mix fruit well to distribute the fruit evenly throughout the cake.
Baking The Jamaican Fruit Cake
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake the cake in a preheated oven. Check the cake after an hour to see if it is browning too quickly. If it is, cover it with aluminum foil to prevent it from burning.
After baking, let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing it to a wire rack to cool completely. If you’re using a bundt pan, let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing it. Once the cake is cool, you can store it in an airtight container or wrap it in plastic wrap to keep it fresh.
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Tips And Variations
If you don’t have all the essential ingredients on hand, there are some substitutions you can make. Here are some alternative ingredients and variations you can try:
FLOUR
You can use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour. Cake flour will give your cake a lighter texture.
BURNT SUGAR
You can use white burnt sugar instead of dark brown sugar. However, use dark brown sugar, as it adds a richer flavor to the cake.
BROWNING SAUCE
Browning sauce gives the cake its dark color. If you don’t have browning sauce, you can make your own by burning sugar until it turns dark brown.
MOLASSES
Molasses is sometimes added to the cake batter to enhance the flavor. If you don’t have molasses, you can use honey or maple syrup instead.
Royal Icing
Royal icing is sometimes used to decorate the cake. It is made with egg whites, powdered sugar, and lemon juice.
RED-LABEL WINE
Add red wine to the fruit mixture to give it a richer flavor.
ALMOND EXTRACT
Almond extract is sometimes added to the cake batter to enhance the flavor.
SORREL
Sorrel is a traditional Jamaican drink that is sometimes added to the fruit mixture. It adds a tangy flavor to the cake.
Remember that the key to making a delicious Jamaican fruit cake is to use high-quality ingredients and to follow the recipe carefully. When making substitutions, be sure to choose ingredients that are similar in flavor and texture to the original ingredients.
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Serving Suggestions
To bring out the flavors of the Jamaican fruit cake, I like to serve it with various accompaniments. A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream are two of my favorite toppings since they provide a lovely creaminess that goes well with the rich, spicy cake. To maintain tradition, I can serve it with a side of brandy or rum butter, which adds a decadent, celebratory touch.
I occasionally even have an iced coffee or black tea to balance the sweetness. The rich fruit and alcoholic flavors of the cake go well with a drink of spiced rum or dessert wine, especially if I’m hosting a special occasion. These finishing touches always make the Jamaican fruit cake an even more delightful treat, whether I go all out or keep it simple!
Jamaican Fruit Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Electric mixer or wooden spoon
- Cake pans
- Parchment paper
- Oven
Ingredients
- 2 cups mixed dried fruits - raisins, currants, prunes, cherries (300g)
- ½ cup dark rum
- 280 g unsalted butter - softened
- 1 cup brown sugar - (110g)
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour - (330g)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 grated zest of one lime
- ½ cup mixed nuts - walnuts, pecans, chopped (optional)
- ¼ cup cherry brandy - optional
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare Fruits
- In a bowl, soak the mixed dried fruits in dark rum overnight. For an extra kick, add cherry brandy to the mix and soak for 3 – 4 days.
Step 2: Preheat Oven
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease and line cake pans with parchment paper.
Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugar
- In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Step 4: Add Eggs
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and add vanilla extract and lime juice to the mixture.
Step 5: Combine Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, ground allspices and salt.
Step 6: Mix Batter
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture, mixing well.
- Fold in the soaked dried fruits along with any remaining rum and the grated lime zest.
Step 7: Add Nuts
- Gently fold in chopped nuts.
Step 8: Bake
- Pour the batter into prepared pans and smooth the top.
- Bake for 75-85 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 9: Cool and Serve
- Allow the cake to cool in the pans for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed and personalised calculations.
