Jamaican Christmas Cake
- 2 3/4 cups dark raisins
- 1 3/4 cups currants
- 1 cup candied peel
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/3 cup chopped prune
- 1/3 cup halved candied cherry
- 2 1/3 cups brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch ginger
- 1 pinch allspice
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 cup rum
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 5 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup port wine
- One day ahead, in microwaveable bowl, combine raisins, currants, peel, walnuts, prunes and cherries. Add 2/3 cup of the brown sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and cloves.
- Stir in 1/2 cup of the rum. Cover and microwave at High for 10 minutes, stirring twice; let stand overnight. (Or, instead of cooking, let stand in a cool, dry place, stirring occasionally, for 3 weeks.).
- Grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans; line with double thickness of waxed paper. Grease paper.
- In large pan, bring fruit mixture and 1/2 cup water to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often.
- Meanwhile, in saucepan, bring granulated sugar and 2 tbsp water to boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium and boil for 6 minutes or until thickened, brushing down pan with water to prevent crystals from forming. Pour over fruit mixture, stirring to coat; let cool.
- In bowl, beat butter with remaining brown sugar; beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add fruit mixture, blending well.
- Combine flour, baking powder and salt; fold into fruit mixture. Scrape into pans. Bake in 275F oven for 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours or until sides come away from pans and tester inserted in centers comes out slightly gooey.
- Puncture each cake several times with skewer. Mix remaining rum with port; pour over cakes. Let cool in pans. Cover with foil; let stand for 3 days. (Cakes can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature or in refrigerator for up to 1 month.).
dark raisins, currants, candied peel, walnuts, chopped prune, brown sugar, vanilla, almond, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, ground cloves, rum, granulated sugar, butter, eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, port wine
Taken from www.food.com/recipe/jamaican-christmas-cake-309457 (may not work)