Some say fruit cake, black cake or Christmas cake it’s all the same. However, this is my favorite cake to bake and maybe the first cake I’ve ever made. I’ve been using this recipe for the 10 years.

Ingredients

• ½-pound margarine
• ½-pound brown sugar
• 6 medium eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1tbsp lime juice
• 1 pound cake and pastry flour
• 2 tbsp. baking powder
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 4 tbsp. browning
• 3 cups fruit wine (¼ cup extra to wet cakes)
• 1 cup rum       (¼ cup extra to wet cakes)
• 2 cups soaked mixed fruits (Cherries, raisins, prune)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

1. Cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. While creaming, combine flour, baking powder, mixed spice, cinnamon, breadcrumbs and nutmeg and put aside. Once Gradually add in eggs one at a time into butter mixture. Stir in vanilla and lime juice.
2. Fold the flour mixture into the creamed mixture alternately with browning, wine, rum, and soaked mixed fruits.
3. Scrape batter into a greased and lined baking tin.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours at 180°C/350°F or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Wet with an extra mixture of rum and wine then allow to cool.
4. Serve the Fruit Cake with your favorite sauce or icing.

See more recipes by Chef Noel. Visit Chef Noel’s website for additional recipes, booking information and his famous Jerk Marinade.