Christmas cakes

It’s that time of the year once again, the time when many think about their Christmas kitchen and begin their preparations for the season, like making pastelles, sorrel, ponche de crème and ginger beer and of course, last but not least, the ubiquitous Christmas cake.

Those of you that do advance preparation I know you’ll be thinking about your Christmas cake right about now. Fruitcake is a tradition here in TT, lots of us have recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation. Everyone has his or her own version of the best fruitcake ever.

Here are some delightful fruitcake recipes for you to add to your collection.

Old-fashioned fruitcake

1 cup mixed candied peel

2½ cups raisins

2 cups currants

½ lb pitted prunes

2 cups pecans or walnuts chopped and toasted

1 cup each red and green glace cherries, halved

1½ cups dark rum (or cherry brandy)

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp allspice

pinch salt

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

2 tbs molasses

2 tsp vanilla

Line two 9x5-inch loaf pans or two 9-inch round cake tins with brown paper twice, grease the last layer and flour.

In a large bowl combine mixed peel, prunes, currants, raisins, and cherries pour on rum and let soak for one-week or overnight, drain and retain alcohol.

Divide fruits into two, mince one half and combine with un-minced portion.

Preheat oven to 250F

Combine the rest of the flour with the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and baking powder.

With electric mixer cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy, add eggs one at a time beating well between each addition. Add vanilla and molasses.

Fold in flour mixture.

Fold in fruit mixture and nuts.

Turn batter into prepared pans and bake for 2½ to 3 hours until a tester comes out clean.

Cool in tins. Pour the retained alcohol from the fruits over cakes after baking.

Makes 2 cakes

Light fruitcake

1 cup butter

1 cup granulated sugar

4 eggs

½ cup raisins

½ cup candied cherries, finely chopped

½ cup mixed peel

½ cup chopped walnuts or almonds, (optional)

2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Finely chop fruits.

Grease, line and flour one 9-inch round pan.

With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time beating well between additions.

Fold in flour and fruits. Pour batter into a 9-inch round pan.

Bake for about 1½ hours. Cool.

Best ever Christmas black cake

1 lb raisins

½ lb currants

½ lb sultanas

½ lb prunes

½ lb chopped walnuts

¼ lb mixed peel

¼ lb cherries

1 ⅔ cups dark rum

1 ⅔ cups cherry brandy

1 lb butter

1 lb brown sugar

6 eggs

1 lb all-purpose flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon and allspice, mixed

2 tsp mixed essence

Combine rum and cherry brandy and add fruits to mixture. Let soak overnight or up to one week.

Preheat oven to 300F.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together flour and baking powder, cinnamon and allspice.

Drain fruits reserve liquid. Chop or mince in food processor.

Add drained fruits to butter and sugar mixture.

Add cut up cherries and nuts.

Fold flour into fruits and butter mixture.

Add mixed essence, mix well.

Grease and line two 9-inch cake pans with waxed paper, grease and flour paper.

Spoon cake batter equally into prepared baking pans.

Bake for 2 to 2½ hours.

Drizzle extra rum over cake when baked.

Cool in pans before removing.

Makes two 9- inch round cake