Ingredients
Fruits:
- 1½ lb. raisins
- 1 lb. prunes
- 1 lb. cherries
- 1 lb. mixed peel
Wine Suggestions for Soaking or Stewing Fruits:
- 1/3 bottle Port Wine (Presidential Porto Tawny)
- 1/3 bottle Manischewitz blackberry Wine
Creaming:
- 4 sticks of butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar
Other Ingredients
- 3 tsp rosewater
- 1½ tsp cinnamon or 4 cinnamon sticks grinded
- 2 nutmeg grated
- ½ tsp almond essence
- 3 tsp mixed essence
- 1 tsp anise essence
- 12 eggs (embryo removed)
- 1 lb. all purpose flour (3 1/3 cups)
- 2 tbsp. Jamaican burnt sugar (Caramel Liquid)
- Rum (El Dorado)
Instructions
In a food processor or blender add ½ of each fruit (raisins, prunes, cherries, and mixed peel) then a bit of water. Pulse until a smooth paste is formed. Repeat with second ½ of fruits. Soak fruits in Port Wine and Sherry Wine for a few weeks before baking. Alternative method: “Stew” your blended fruits on medium heat with the Port and Sherry wine for 15 minutes (mixing periodically to ensure it does not stick to pan) then allow to cool completely (let it cool for at least 5 hours).
Crack eggs then add rose water, cinnamon, nutmeg, almond essence, mixed essence, aniseed essence. Mix.
Manually by hand or mixer, whip the butter and brown sugar until it is light and fluffy
Add egg mixture gradually into creamed butter to avoid curdling while mixing on medium speed.
Transfer mixture into a bowl then add flour. Mix well. Add fruits. Mix well. Add burnt sugar. Mix well.
Preheat oven to 300℉ for the first hour then reduce the heat to 275 ℉.
Grease and line your pans; then evenly distribute your cake batter into both pans.
Cover the cake with foil paper for the first hour of baking then remove. Bake for an additional 45 mins-1 hour. Using a toothpick, pierce the center of the cake, if it comes out clear then it’s done.
Pour rum on top of the cake immediately after removing from the oven.
Cover the cake with a dish towel and allow to cool before removing from the pan. (foodienotachef)