Fruit Cake lovers, anyone? - Page 2

Because it isn't a light sponge cake.

It's a ton of fruit, held together with a tiny bit of cake batter!
 

“There is only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other.” -- Johnny Carson

Quote:

Originally Posted by peppercorns 

Hi Mariel 9898, wow!  Do you really need all that rum? The most I would put in an 8 inch cake is a tbsp of clear rum, once a week, that seems to be sufficient. If you put that much rum, would it not overpower the taste of the cake?

You would think so but it doesn't. It's a bottle of rum/brandy for three 9 inch cakes in total. The first time it's about a cup of rum, but when I spray it it's only until the top is moist. I put the alcohol in a small spray bottle. Jamaican Black cake is like no other cake, it tastes of the fruit and the alcohol but it doesn't overpower. It's very rich because it's very dense so you get at least 24 slices per cake.

Jamaican or other Caribbean type black fruitcakes contain a lot of alcohol and were developed long before the age or refrigeration in a part of the world that is very hot and humid so I don't think mold is a problem.

I was told that the tradition used to be to start soaking fruits for cakes when a couple got engaged. Months later, before the wedding two cakes were baked and doused with alcohol. One cake would be served at the wedding and another would be wrapped, rum would be added once in a while and that cake was served at the couple's first child's christening.

Quote:

Originally Posted by peppercorns 

Thank you Mariel, there is a Jamaican Rum Cake posted in CC recipe Gallery, is that the kind of cake we are talking about? I have goggled a few of them and have several versions of how to bake one. I have improvised my own because I cannot find all the ingredients asked for by English recipes, anyway, my version is always coming out moist and scrumptious even after 4 weeks  only of aging, my mother-in-law calls it The Tropical Delight. Lol

I looked in the gallery, it's a similar recipe.

Here is the recipe I use, but I also add figs and a small amount of dates, ginger, and allspice. And I don't make my own browning, not brave enough! I find browning in the supermarket in my area. I soak the fruits in the alcohol starting labor day weekend.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/19/dining/191crex.html?ref=dining