Creole Christmas Fruit Cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Creole Christmas Fruitcake has its origin in the Caribbean. Unlike the traditional Christmas fruit cake, this cake has a combination of various types of alcohol and spices. Though it has fewer fruits than traditional fruit cakes, it has more raisins and currants than traditional fruits cakes. The structure is more cake-like than other fruitcakes and it has a spicy note to it. Like the Caribbean Black Fruitcake, this recipe involves pre-soaking of the fruits for a week before the making of the actual cake. I am not aware of the exact origin of this recipe as several versions of the same recipe are available online. I have however provided a more detailed recipe here with clear descriptions of how to mix the batter properly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

For Pre-Soaking

(1) 3 Tablespoons Rum

(2) 3 Tablespoons Brandy

(3) 3 Tablespoons Cherry Brandy

(4) 3 Tablespoons Port

(5) 3 Tablespoons Water

(6) 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon

(7) 1/2 Teaspoon Grated Nutmeg

(8) 1/2 Teaspoon Cloves

(9) 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

(10) 1-1/2 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

(11) 1 Tablespoon Molasses Sugar

(12) 450 Grams Raisins

(13) 225 Grams Currants

(14) 110 Grams Prunes

(15) 110 Grams Mixed Peel

(16) 50 Grams Glaced Cherries

(17) 50 Grams Mixed Chopped Nuts

For Cake:

(1) 250 Grams All Purpose Flour

(2) 250 Grams Dark Brown Sugar

(3) 250 Grams Butter (Soft)

(4) 5 Eggs

(5) 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTES:

(1) The original recipe called for 1-1/2 Teaspoons of Angostura Bitters which is a bitter alcoholic drink. I could not find this and thus left it out. Any other type of bitters can be used so long as it is alcoholic.

(2) I did not have access to cherry brandy and used a Cherry Marnier Liqueur.

(3) In place of Molasses sugar, I used dark brown sugar.

(4) The original recipe called for 250 Grams of self-rising flour. I replaced this with 250 Grams of All Purpose Flour and a teaspoon of baking powder as I do not bake with self-rising flour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROCEDURE:

Pre-Soak

(1) 7 days before you intend to bake the cake, chop your prunes, nuts and glace cherries if they haven’t been chopped already and place in a sauce pan along with all the other ingredients.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2) Place the sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer stirring every now and then. When the mixture starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and continue to cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally so the fruits and nuts do not get burned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3) After 15 minutes, take the sauce pan off heat and allow the mixture to cool down completely. Then place mixture in an air tight container and keep in the fridge for 7 days. Stir the contents every couple of days and return to the fridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cake:

(1) Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

(2) Grease and line the bottom and sides of an 8 inch spring form or removable bottom pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3) This step was not in the recipe, but I decided to do it as most Caribbean fruit cake recipes state that some or all of the fruits be blended. I blended half of the soaked fruits into a paste with my food processor. This step is entirely optional.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(4) In the bowl of your stand mixer, place the flour, baking powder and dark brown sugar. Mix on low speed with the paddle attachment to blend all the ingredients together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(5) With the mixer running on medium speed, add the butter bits at a time and mix until all the butter has mixed in well with the flour and sugar mixture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TIP: The butter should be very soft in order for it to incorporate well into the flour and sugar mixture.

(6) With the mixer running at medium speed, add the eggs one at a time to the mixture and beat until incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape sides and bottom of bowl at intervals to ensure nothing is sticking to the bowl.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(7) Finally add the soaked fruits to the mixture and mix until incorporated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(8) Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and level the top with a spoon or spatula. An optional step is to arrange some nuts on top of the batter before baking. Place pan on a baking tray and bake in preheated oven for 3 hours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(9) While the cake is baking, cut out two 9 inch parchment paper rounds and punch holes in their middle. After the cake has baked for 3 hours, place the parchment papers on the cake and bake for another hour. This will prevent the cake from browning too much. Total baking time = 4 hours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(10) Remove cake from oven and allow it to cool down in the pan for about 2 hours before taking it out of the pan. Allow the cake to cool down completely before wrapping and aging.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Though this recipe did not call for aging, fruit cakes taste a lot better when aged. For tips on how to properly age a fruit cake, click here. Though this cake can be aged with any liquor of your choice, I would suggest that you use some good Jamaican Spiced Rum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more fruitcake recipes such as my Southern Fruitcake, Caribbean Fruitcake and Chocolate Fruitcake, click here.