Jamaican Christmas Cake

Total Time: 2 hrs 31 mins Preparation Time: 31 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 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

Recipe

• 1 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.
• 2 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.).
• 3 grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans; line with double thickness of waxed paper. grease paper.
• 4 in large pan, bring fruit mixture and 1/2 cup water to boil. reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often.
• 5 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.
• 6 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.
• 7 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.
• 8 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.).