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    Home » Recipes » Cake Recipes

    Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com · 2 Comments

    Jamaican Rum Cake

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    tall pin image closeup of the Jamaican rum cake slice with text overlay.
    tall pin with two images of the Jamaican rum cake and text divider.

    This Jamaican Rum Cake combines the most amazing flavors and takes holiday fruitcake to a tropically festive new level! There's just so much to love about this tasty cake that features rum and wine-soaked mixed peel and dried fruits spread beautifully throughout the whole cake! The icing is optional, but topping the cake with toasted coconut rounded out the whole Caribbean appeal for me!

    large square closeup of the Jamaican rum cake sliced and served on glass plate.
    This deliciously fruity Jamaican rum cake has tropical flavors infused in every bite!

    A delicious cake absolutely studded with tasty, rum-soaked holiday fruit!

    I have a confession to make and I hope that I'm talking to others like me out there. I'm a huge Christmas and holiday nerd. I absolutely love to geek out on holiday traditions, especially Christmas.

    Around the world. I seriously can't get enough! If you all were to send all of your Great Grandma's, Nana's, and Granny's holiday recipes (especially Christmas goodies) I would be in pure heaven. I would LOVE it!! <-- And that's still an understatement!

    Jump to:
    • 🤔 What Is a Jamaican Rum Cake?
    • ❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe!
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
    • 💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
    • 🥡 Storing
    • ❓ FAQ
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    For me, the fun is finding out the reason behind the tradition. Why it is held so dear.

    I have many of my own treasured traditions, memories, and recipes. I hope that you enjoy this international Christmas recipe for the blog!

    🤔 What Is a Jamaican Rum Cake?

    A Jamaican Rum Cake is a holiday cake that is simply called fruit cake or Christmas cake in Jamaica. There are, of course, other rum cakes that are Caribbean or Jamaican style (or inspired).

    A darker version of this cake, which would have a higher browning content, is called black cake. Personally, I would also add more of the port wine to the cake batter. My version uses both rum and port wine for soaking the fruit, however, I only added Malibu coconut rum to the cake.

    These cakes are very similar to the British Christmas Cake! Jamaica was a crown colony of England, and they adapted the traditional Christmas cake to make this fabulous tropical variation!

    ❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe!

    It's festive! Since this holiday cake is usually made for Christmas, it's made featuring a similar fruit combination as the classic holiday fruitcake...but it's a more fun version!

    Caribbean flavors in winter! The rum and my addition of coconut to the frosting bring the tropical flavors home in the middle of our wintry cold weather!

    It's actually really easy to make!

    🥘 Ingredients

    Ingredients For Soaking The Fruit

    • Mixed Peel - I used the Old English Fruit Cake Mix from Paradise Candied Fruit - plus dried fruits like sultanas, cherries, raisins, or prunes.
    • Dark Rum - Such as Wray and Nephew, Appleton Estate, Myer's Dark Rum, Bacardi, Plantation, or Captain Morgan. Use more as needed to soak the fruit.
    • Port Wine (or a dark sweet wine) - I love Port wine and the rich flavor it adds, don't be shy with this when soaking your fruit blend!

    Jamaican Rum Cake

    • Butter - Lots of it! Set your butter out with plenty of time to soften for easy creaming with the sugar.
    • Sugar - Just the right amount to make this tasty fruitcake amazing!
    • Eggs - Use large eggs that have been brought to room temperature for best results and a cake that bakes more evenly.
    • Baking Powder - Lightens up this flavor-packed Jamaican rum cake for a wonderful consistency!
    • Mixed Spice - An amazing blend of warm spices used in British baking that is the perfect addition to this cake.
    • Cinnamon & Orange Peel - A hint more flavor that pairs perfectly with the mixed spice.
    • All-Purpose Flour - A baker's staple and the bulk of the cake.
    • Molasses & Browning (or burnt brown sugar) - Rich and flavorful additions to make the cake complete!
    • Lime (zest and juice) - Use a whole lime, zest, then juice it for the cake batter.
    • Rum (dark rum or coconut rum) - More rum! Go with your favorite flavor for mixing into the batter.
    • Vanilla Extract & Orange Extract - The combination of both extracts adds just a hint of more citrus flavor and highlights all of the wonderful ingredients!

    🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions

    Despite the ingredient list (don't let that keep you from making this amazing cake!) this homemade fruitcake is an easy cake to make from scratch. A little planning for soaking your fruit makes a huge difference in the resulting cake, even though it can be made last-minute in a pinch.

    Soak the Mixed Fruit

    1. Select your rum and wine. Start with soaking your mixed fruit in rum and port wine, or a sweet wine. I like a dark rum for this stage, and the better the rum, the better the cake!
    2. Select your fruit blend. In addition the Old English fruit cake mix that I'm using for my cake, I also added sultanas (golden raisins), dried cherries, and raisins to make a total of two pounds of fruit.
    3. Cover and soak. Place the 2 pounds of fruit in a small to medium-size bowl and cover with 1 cup each of dark rum or overproof rum and port wine or sweet wine. Use more rum and wine to cover the fruit completely, if needed.

    Rum Notes: Try to get your hands on some authentic Caribbean rum like Wray and Nephew. The brand offers exceptional dark rum and the world's top selling white overproof rum (which is a top notch choice with hints of fruit, spice, and molasses). I've never used the overproof rum for my cakes, but it is by far my favorite rum!

    How Long Should I Soak My Fruitcake Fruit? 

    Two days, two weeks, or two months are all within reason. I have even heard of people soaking their fruit for up to a year for baking fruitcake!

    However long you have available to plan your cake in advance, keep the fruit in a cool area to best soak up the alcohol. As needed, top off the soaking fruit with more rum and wine as it evaporates over time.

    The night before my baking, I added a ½ cup of orange juice and 1 cup of crushed pineapple to add to my tropical fruit flavors for the Jamaican rum cake. This is optional, but very tasty!!

    Make the Rum Cake Batter

    1. Preheat and prepare your pan. Warm your oven to 325ºF (163ºC) and line the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Spray the pan and paper with non-stick baking spray.
    2. Cream the butter and sugar. Mix the softened butter and granulated sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.step 1 cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
    3. Add the eggs. Mix in 1-2 eggs (of the 5 large eggs total) at a time to the creamed butter and sugar. With the last egg, add a tablespoon of flour and mix in at the same time. step 2 add eggs into the creamed butter and sugar.
    4. Add baking powder and spices. Add 2 teaspoons baking powder, 3 teaspoons mixed spice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon orange peel then mix to combine.step 3 add mixed spice baking powder orange peel and cinnamon then combine.
    5. Add flour. Add 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour and mix until all of the flour is incorporated.step 4 add all-purpose flour and combine until batter consistency.
    6. Add molasses and browning. Add in 2 tablespoons of molasses and 1-3 tablespoons of browning to the batter then mix until fully combined.step 5 add molasses and browning to batter then combine.
    7. Add the soaked fruit and finish mixing. Add the drained, soaked fruit along with lime juice and zest of 1 lime, ¼ cup dark rum or coconut rum, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon orange extract. Mix until the fruit is evenly distributed through the batter and the batter is thick enough to hold a spoon upright.step 6 add mixed peel sultanas dried cherries pineapple lime zest rum and orange extract.

    Bake the Jamaican Christmas Cake

    1. Transfer and level. Pour the cake batter into your prepared springform pan, and smooth the top.step 7 transfer batter to prepared 10-inch springform pan and smooth the top.
    2. Bake. Place in the center of the middle rack and bake at 325ºF (163ºC) for 1 hour 45 minutes, or until an inserted knife or cake tester comes out clean.

    💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes

    I would soak my fruit for as long as possible.

    • At a minimum, try to soak the fruit for 4-5 hours before baking your Jamaican rum cake. I've found that soaking my fruit for a month to two is perfect for my fruitcakes.

    Add a pan of water to the oven while baking.

    • Use an older pan (that you won't worry about if it warps) and fill it with boiling water. Place the pan on the rack below the baking Jamaican rum cake to keep the cake moist while it bakes.

    🥡 Storing

    You can store the baked Jamaican rum cake for up to two months if you 'feed' the cake with more rum like you would a Christmas cake. Soak the top of the cake with your rum and then seal it securely by wrapping with aluminum foil.

    After serving your cake, wrap with plastic cling film and store in an airtight container. Keep refrigerated and store for up to a week.

    Freezing

    Wrap the cake with two layers of parchment paper and then seal securely wrapped in heavy-duty aluminum foil to freeze your Jamaican rum cake for up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer and allow to thaw at room temperature before serving or adding the icing.

    ❓ FAQ

    Is there alcohol in a Jamaican rum cake?

    Yes, most definitely! In addition to rum in the cake batter, the fruitcake blend is soaked in a combination of rum and port wine. The alcohol does not entirely cook off during baking, so there is a alcohol in the final product (your cake).

    What are the best rum brands to use in Jamaican rum cake?

    Wray and Nephew is my top choice for a great Jamaican rum brand. They offer one of the best overproof rums available. Other great brands to keep your cake truly Jamaican include Appleton Estate, Myer's Dark Rum, Bacardi, Plantation, or Captain Morgan.

    Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.

    Stay in touch with me through social media @ Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

    📋 Recipe

    large square closeup of the Jamaican rum cake sliced and served on glass plate.
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    4.96 from 22 reviews

    Jamaican Rum Cake

    This Jamaican Rum Cake combines the most amazing flavors and takes holiday fruitcake to a tropically festive new level! There's just so much to love about this tasty cake that features rum and wine-soaked mixed peel and dried fruits spread beautifully throughout the whole cake! The icing is optional, but topping the cake with toasted coconut rounded out the whole Caribbean appeal for me!
    Author | Angela
    Servings: 12 slices
    Calories: 594kcal
    Prep 15 minutes
    Cooking 1 hour 45 minutes
    Cooling Time 1 hour
    Total Time 3 hours
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    Ingredients
     

    • 2 lbs mixed peel (I used the Old English Fruit Cake Mix from Paradise Candied Fruit - plus dried fruits like sultanas, cherries, raisins, or prunes)
    • 1 cup dark rum (such as Wray and Nephew, Appleton Estate, Myer's Dark Rum, Bacardi, Plantation, or Captain Morgan - more as needed, to soak the fruit)
    • 1 cup port wine (or a dark sweet wine - more as needed, to soak the fruit)
    • 1 ¼ cups butter (20 tablespoons or 2 ½ sticks butter)
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 5 large eggs
    • 2 teaspoon baking powder
    • 3 teaspoon mixed spice (see recipe)
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon orange peel
    • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1-3 tablespoon browning (or burnt brown sugar)
    • 2 tablespoon molasses
    • 1 lime (zest and juice)
    • ¼ cup rum (dark rum or coconut rum)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon orange extract (or almond extract, or coconut extract)

    Instructions

    • Soak your fruit in advance. Place mixed peel, sultanas (golden raisins), and dried cherries in a medium bowl or storage container and cover with rum (or a combination of rum and port wine). Set aside in a cool place to allow the fruit to soak up the alcohol.
      2 lbs mixed peel, 1 cup dark rum, 1 cup port wine
    • Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) and prepare a 10-inch springform pan with a layer of parchment paper in the bottom. Spray the pan and parchment paper with non-stick baking spray.
    • Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
      1 ¼ cups butter, 1 cup sugar
      step 1 cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
    • Add the eggs into the creamed butter and sugar 1-2 at a time. For the final egg, add a tablespoon of the flour with the egg to prevent the mixture from breaking or 'curdling'.
      5 large eggs
      step 2 add eggs into the creamed butter and sugar.
    • Add the baking powder, mixed spice, cinnamon, and orange peel to the butter mixture and combine.
      2 teaspoon baking powder, 3 teaspoon mixed spice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon orange peel
      step 3 add mixed spice baking powder orange peel and cinnamon then combine.
    • Add the flour. Mix until the flour is incorporated to the wet ingredients and thick batter is formed.
      2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
      step 4 add all-purpose flour and combine until batter consistency.
    • Add the molasses and browning (or burnt brown sugar) to the batter and combine.
      2 tablespoon molasses, 1-3 tablespoon browning
      step 5 add molasses and browning to batter then combine.
    • Add the drained soaked fruit (including the mixed peel, sultanas, dried cherries), lime zest and juice, rum, vanilla extract, and orange extract. Mix to combine. The fruit should be evenly distributed in the batter when ready to bake. *The batter should be thick enough that a spoon will stay upright. If it is not, add a bit more flour a tablespoon at a time to thicken the batter consistency.
      1 lime, ¼ cup rum, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon orange extract
      step 6 add mixed peel sultanas dried cherries pineapple lime zest rum and orange extract.
    • Transfer the rum cake batter to your prepared springform pan and smooth the top of the batter.
      step 7 transfer batter to prepared 10-inch springform pan and smooth the top.
    • Bake in the center of the middle oven rack at 325°F (163°C) for 1 hour 45 minutes, or until a knife or cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
    • Remove the baked Jamaican rum cake when done and allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing the springform round. If desired, poke the cake with a toothpick and soak with more rum or port wine while still warm. Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.

    Optional Icing & Toasted Coconut

    • In a small non-stick frying pan or skillet heat about a ½ cup of shredded coconut (sweetened) over medium heat. Keep the coconut moving once it starts browning. Immediately remove your pan from heat when the coconut is golden brown. Transfer toasted coconut into a small bowl to stop the toasting process.
    • In a small bowl, combine 1 ½ cups confectioners sugar with 2 tablespoons of karo light corn syrup, 1 tablespoon of heavy cream, and a teaspoon of coconut extract (or vanilla extract). Mix until the icing is smooth and fairly thick. Adjust the thickness by adding more sugar to thicken, or more heavy cream to thin.
    • Apply the icing to the center of the top of the cake. Use an offset spatula to spread the icing in a thin, even layer toward the cake edges. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.

    Notes

    *Soak your mixed peel and dried fruits as long as possible, anywhere between two months (if you plan ahead!) to two days (minimum recommended) to several hours (last-minute baking). Add liquor as needed when soaking the fruit for longer periods of time.
    **Note that the soaked fruit DOES NOT need to be fully drained of liquid. The juicier the fruit, the better the cake.
    ***I add a ¼ cup of orange juice and 1 cup of crushed pineapple to my liquor-soaked fruit the night before baking. It's a wonderful addition to the flavor, but is not necessary!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 594kcal (30%) | Carbohydrates: 102g (34%) | Protein: 6g (12%) | Fat: 20g (31%) | Saturated Fat: 12g (75%) | Cholesterol: 123mg (41%) | Sodium: 261mg (11%) | Potassium: 243mg (7%) | Fiber: 2g (8%) | Sugar: 81g (90%) | Vitamin A: 659IU (13%) | Vitamin C: 2mg (2%) | Calcium: 84mg (8%) | Iron: 2mg (11%)
    Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love!
    Course Cake Recipes, Dessert, Holiday Recipes
    Cuisine Caribbean, Jamaican
    author profile photo
    Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com

    Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!

    bakeitwithlove.com/about/
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    Comments

    1. Anonymous says

      March 19, 2022 at 10:09 pm

      Can this recipe be made without eggs?

      Reply
      • Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says

        March 20, 2022 at 6:26 am

        I'm sure that it could be, and I would suggest applesauce as your best egg substitute. However, I have not personally tried to make this recipe eggless. Please come back and let us know how it turned out if you give it a go! Thanks for asking!

        Reply

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    Hi there, I'm Angela! I am an avid vintage cookbook collector, recipe creator, animal lover, and total foodie. I love sharing recipes that are new, fun, and creative as well as great classic recipes just like my Grandma used to make!

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