Description
A richly-hued improvement on standard fruitcake, sticky with rum-soaked fruit and scented with island spices.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup dried currants
- 1 cup dried cherries
- 1 cup prunes, diced
- 1/2 cup candied lemon or orange peel, diced
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 cup dark rum, plus 1/4 cup for glazing
- 1 cup port, plus 1/4 cup for glazing
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 sticks butter, room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 5 eggs
- 1 tablespoon burnt sugar syrup
Instructions
- Mix all of the dried fruit and almonds, the cinnamon stick, and a cup each of rum and port in a large airtight container and allow to soak for at least 2-3 days prior to baking, preferably 2-3 weeks if possible.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 250 degrees.
- Grease a Bundt pan thoroughly and set aside.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and spices in a bowl.
- In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar with a mixer for 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the vanilla and the eggs one at a time and mix after each one.
- Remove about 5 cups of the soaked fruit and chop the fruit into smaller pieces.
- Mix the fruit into the butter and eggs.
- Add in flour a half cup or so at a time, then add in the burnt sugar syrup and mix.
- Pour the batter into the greased Bundt pan and bake for an hour and a half or until a cake tester emerges clean.
- Once baked, allow the cake to cool a bit in the pan for 15-20 minutes.
- Invert the cake onto a plate.
- Combine the 1/4 cup each of rum and port and brush this mixture over the warm cake.
- Allow the cake to cool before wrapping it tightly in parchment and plastic wrap.
- Store the cake in a cool place to age for a few days before serving.
Notes
To make burnt sugar syrup at home, place 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in a pot over medium-high heat. Allow the sugar to bubble until melted. Stir the sugar while it’s cooking until it is very dark brown, almost black. Slowly add in a little water until syrupy.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 mins