Sharon’s Jamaican Fruit Cake
Sharon’s Jamaican Fruit Cake is a rich and moist Caribbean celebration cake.Dried fruits are soaked to create an intensely fruity and aromatic flavor.Warm spices provide the cake with its characteristic Jamaican character.Browning sauce gives the cake its deep, beautiful color.The finished cake is dense, tender, moist, and packed with fruit.Serve it during Christmas, weddings, birthdays, or any special gathering.
Ingredients
For the Fruit Mixture
- 2 cups raisins
- 1 cup dried cherries
- 1 cup dried currants
- ½ cup mixed candied peel
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup red dessert wine or sweet wine
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup reserved fruit-soaking liquid
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
For Finishing
- 2–3 tablespoons rum or fruit-soaking liquid, optional
- Maraschino cherries or dried fruit, for decoration, optional
Instructions
Prepare the Fruit
- Place raisins, cherries, currants, candied peel, and dried cranberries in a large bowl or airtight container.Pour the rum and wine over the fruit and add vanilla extract.Stir well, cover, and refrigerate.For the best flavor, soak the fruit for at least 24 hours. Traditional-style preparations may soak the fruit for considerably longer.
Blend the Fruit
- After soaking, place the fruit mixture into a food processor or blender.Pulse until finely chopped or almost smooth, depending on your preferred cake texture.Do not completely puree it into a liquid.
Prepare the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.
Add the Eggs
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.
Add the Dry Ingredients
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and salt.Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture.Mix gently until just combined.
Add the Fruit
- Fold the blended fruit mixture into the batter.Add the molasses, browning sauce, and reserved soaking liquid.Stir until evenly incorporated.If using nuts, fold them in at this stage.
Fill the Pan
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.Smooth the top with a spatula.Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove large air pockets.
Cool the Cake
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for approximately 20–30 minutes.Transfer it carefully to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely.
Rest Before Serving
- Wrap the completely cooled cake tightly and allow it to rest for at least a day before serving if possible.The flavors become richer and more developed as the cake rests.
Notes
- Soaking the fruit is key to achieving the rich flavor associated with Jamaican Fruit Cake.
- The longer the fruit soaks, the more intense and developed its flavor can become.
- Browning sauce provides the characteristic dark color, so add it carefully.
- Do not overmix the batter after adding the flour.
- Bake at a relatively low temperature to prevent the outside from becoming too dark before the center cooks.
- The cake should remain moist rather than dry.
- Allowing the finished cake to rest improves its flavor and texture.
- Store the cake tightly wrapped to prevent it from drying out.