My Own Caribbean Christmas Fruit Cake Also Known As Great Cake
Celebrate the festive season with the ultimate Christmas indulgence: My Own Caribbean Christmas Fruit Cake, also known as Great Cake. This richly spiced masterpiece is a quintessential holiday treat, infused with the tropical flavors of dark rum, red wine, and a medley of dried fruits like raisins, currants, prunes, cherries, and mixed peel. The magic begins as the fruits soak for days—intensifying their sweetness and creating a depth of flavor that permeates every bite. A touch of lime zest, almond extract, and Angostura bitters elevate the aromatic batter, while the warm notes of cinnamon and nutmeg add holiday cheer. Baked to perfection, this dense yet moist cake matures beautifully over time, making it an ideal centerpiece for your Christmas celebrations. Whether enjoyed on its own or paired with a bold glass of rum, this Caribbean fruit cake is a time-honored tradition that brings warmth, flavor, and a touch of the tropics to your table. Perfect for sharing or gifting, this recipe promises to delight with every slice.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 cup Raisins
- 1 cup Currants
- 1 cup Prunes
- 1 cup Cherries (glace or candied)
- 0.5 cup Mixed peel
- 2 cups Dark rum
- 1 cup Red wine
- 1 cup Unsalted butter
- 1.5 cups Dark brown sugar
- 6 Eggs
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Almond extract
- 1 teaspoon Lime zest
- 1 teaspoon Angostura bitters
Instructions
Chop the raisins, currants, prunes, cherries, and mixed peel into small pieces if they are not already. Place them in a large airtight container.
Pour the dark rum and red wine over the chopped fruits. Cover the container and allow the fruits to soak for at least 2 days, ideally a week or more, stirring occasionally to ensure even soaking.
Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
Using a mixer, cream the butter and dark brown sugar together until light and fluffy. This should take about 5 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture, beating well after each addition to ensure they are fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, folding gently to combine.
Stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract, lime zest, and Angostura bitters.
Blend the soaked fruits into the batter, ensuring they are distributed evenly.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 2 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool slightly in the pan before transferring it onto a wire rack. Optionally, you can brush the warm cake with additional rum for extra moisture and flavor.
Once cooled, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil. The cake's flavor improves as it sits, so feel free to store it for a few days before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
680 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 18.8 g | 24% | |
| Saturated Fat | 11.1 g | 56% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 136 mg | 45% | |
| Sodium | 147 mg | 6% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 98.6 g | 36% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 4.1 g | 15% | |
| Total Sugars | 68.9 g | ||
| Protein | 7.0 g | 14% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.8 mcg | 4% | |
| Calcium | 80 mg | 6% | |
| Iron | 2.3 mg | 13% | |
| Potassium | 475 mg | 10% | |
*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.
