Jamaican Christmas Cake
Infused with the rich flavors of tradition and festive cheer, Jamaican Christmas Cake is a decadent dessert that’s the star of any holiday celebration. This iconic Caribbean bake, also known as black cake, features an intoxicating blend of macerated fruits—raisins, currants, prunes, and mixed peel—soaked in dark rum and port wine for weeks or even months to create its signature depth of flavor. The cake is beautifully spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, while burnt sugar (browning) lends its deep, dark hue and smoky-sweet complexity. Moist, dense, and irresistibly boozy, each bite of this holiday classic embodies the spirit of celebration. Perfectly aged with a final splash of rum, this show-stopping dessert is best served with warm holiday cheer (and perhaps a glass of spiced rum punch) for a truly memorable Christmas indulgence.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 2 cups Raisins
- 1.5 cups Currants
- 1 cup Prunes (pitted and chopped)
- 0.5 cup Mixed peel or candied citrus peel
- 1 cup Dark rum
- 1 cup Port wine
- 1.25 cups Unsalted butter (softened)
- 1.5 cups Dark brown sugar
- 6 Large eggs
- 1 Grated zest of lemon
- 1 Grated zest of orange
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking powder
- 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Ground allspice
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 0.25 cup Burnt sugar (browning)
- 0.5 cup Rum or wine (optional, for soaking cake)
Instructions
1. Start by soaking your fruits at least a week in advance (or ideally several months ahead). Combine raisins, currants, prunes, and mixed peel in a large jar. Pour the dark rum and port wine over the fruits, covering them completely. Seal the jar and let the fruits macerate, shaking occasionally.
2. On baking day, preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
3. Cream the softened butter and dark brown sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs to the butter-sugar mixture one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the lemon and orange zest.
5. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, and salt.
6. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing until combined.
7. Blend the soaked fruits into a puree (using a food processor) or leave slightly chunky, depending on your preference.
8. Fold the blended fruit mixture into the batter. Then, add the vanilla extract and burnt sugar (browning) to the mixture, stirring until evenly distributed.
9. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, spreading evenly.
10. Bake in the preheated oven for about 2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check the cake after 1.5 hours and tent with foil if the top is browning too quickly.
11. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
12. For best results, brush the cooled cake with additional rum or wine, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and allow to mature for a few days or up to weeks before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
8907 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 275.9 g | 354% | |
| Saturated Fat | 162.1 g | 810% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.3 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 1762 mg | 587% | |
| Sodium | 2878 mg | 125% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 1325.9 g | 482% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 60.2 g | 215% | |
| Total Sugars | 963.5 g | ||
| Protein | 88.5 g | 177% | |
| Vitamin D | 9.6 mcg | 48% | |
| Calcium | 1224 mg | 94% | |
| Iron | 34.6 mg | 192% | |
| Potassium | 7775 mg | 165% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
