Christmas cya keep without the traditional Jamaican Christmas Fruit Cake. This magical and rich flavoured cake is a staple of Christmas. This dark, soft and moist cake consists of a combination of spices and rum-soaked fruits. This dessert is often served with sorrel and is also known as “Black Cake” or simply, “Christmas Cake”.
Many persons start ‘soaking’ the fruits; prunes, cherries, raisins and currants months in advance. In most families, baking Christmas cakes or puddings is a whole-day family activity. Young children are tasked with washing mixing bowls, while the adults do the harder tasks. Some people give cakes as gifts or exchange them with neighbours. If you have never made it before, take a chance on the steps below. Maybe, you’ll be the reason someone’s stomach is happy this Christmas.
How to Make a Jamaican Christmas Fruit Cake:
Ingredients
- 1-pound margarine
- 1-pound dark sugar
- 4 eggs (if eggs are small, then 6 may be used)
- Half teaspoon of vanilla essence
- Half teaspoon of almond flavouring
- 6 cups of counter flour
- 1 teaspoon of mixed spice
- 4 teaspoons of baking powder
- 2 teaspoons of nutmeg
- 6 tablespoons of browning
- 3 cups of red wine
- 1 pound of mixed fruits (soaked in rum)
Preparation
- Mix (cream) margarine and sugar together on a moderately high speed until well blended, fluffy and pale yellow.
- Gradually beat in eggs one at a time.
- Stir in vanilla essence and almond flavouring.
- Combine counter flour, mixed spice, baking powder and nutmeg.
- Divide the flour mixture into three and liquid into two.
- Fold the flour mixture into the creamed mixture alternately with the browning, red wine and mixed fruits.
- Scrape into a greased and lined 12″ baking tin.
- Bake for 1 1/2 hours at 180°C/350°F or until a metal skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Allow to cool, slice and serve.
Need more than just the written instructions? Don’t worry, we found a video for you:
Memory Lane
Everybody likes their Christmas cake a certain way. Some like it “crumby” while some like it “sturdy”. However our storyteller below explains how she enjoys her Christmas cake:
We’re not sure if it’s the rum or the fruits that “ties” the consumer but people are willing to make exceptions for the cake. Don’t understand what I mean? Take a listen:
If you still haven’t gotten a gift for the people you love, consider getting them a cake. Not just any cake, but a real Jamaican Christmas cake. This gift would be extra special to your friends and family in the diaspora:
We asked some of our readers to share their best memories of Christmas cake and to share the reason they love it. We enjoyed listening to these audios and we hope you do too:
Is your mouth beginning to water as you remember the deliciousness? There is no time like the present to follow the recipe and satisfy your tastes buds. Christmas cake can be eaten all year round. If you really like it, you don’t need to wait eleven months to have this treat. Come share, celebrate, boast and debate our Jamaican culture with us.
