Alas, another popular Christmas cake! This is my mom’s favorite cake during Christmas time. I call this a West Indian fruit cake because to my knowledge, it is only in the West Indies that this cake is made this way. Now, this is no ordinary fruit cake. If you are looking for a recipe that has whole pieces of fruit and nut in it, then I sincerely apologize, because this is not the recipe for you! However, if you are looking for a fruit cake recipe that has a moist, dense texture, with minced fruit that has been soaking in red wine for God knows how long, then you have come to the right place.
Don’t you just want to bite into this? Yumm!!
This is actually my Aunt Eva’s recipe. She was a home economics teacher in Guyana many, many years ago. My mom frequently calls her for special recipes such as this one and we are usually amazed at how she can recite the recipe from her head, like the way we all know our social security number. A classic Caribbean fruit cake is a basic pound cake recipe with almost equal parts of chopped fruit added to it. The result is a dense, moist cake that really has a give to it when you bite in.
Prepare to Soak the Dried Fruits in Red Wine
Okay I know this picture doesn’t look appetizing, but it is what it is, dried fruits in wine.
You will need 1lb of each of the following dried fruits: prunes, raisins, and currants. Those fruits need to be blended with one 750ml bottle of red port wine. Some people actually add rum to the mixture as well. Do what you prefer. The dried fruits need to be soaked in the wine for at minimum 3-4 weeks. Some people even soak these fruits for up to one year. The rule is, the longer it soaks the more the fruits absorb the wine, giving the cake a better flavor. My mom actually soaked these fruits long before I arrived in Florida so I apologize for not having any pictures to share with you of that process.
Now let’s move on to actually making the cake. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs a little at a time, you don’t want to separate your creamed mixture of butter and sugar.
After you have added all the eggs add 3 ½ cups of the fruit mixture.
Stir it in and make sure it is all incorporated
Add some vanilla and lemon zest to the batter,
some people add orange and lime zest as well, its all about your own preference
In a separate bowl, sift all your dry ingredients together.
My mom used freshly grated nutmeg, the ground one in the store is just as good.
after you mix in all the flour, do the spatula test to feel out the texture of the batter,
if the spatula stands up, then it is ready to go into the oven!
Pour into a 9in square pan. This batter will make two 9in pans.
Out of the oven!
A West Indian Christmas Fruit Cake
Ingredients
Fruit Mixture
- 1 lb raisins
- 1 lb prunes
- 1 lb currants
- lemon, lime, orange zest (optional)
- 1 750ml bottle of port wine
Cake Batter
- 1 lb butter
- 1 lb sugar
- 1 lb flour
- 9 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg (add 1tsp if you like a lot of nutmegs)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 lemon, zested
- 3 ½ cups of blended fruit mixture
Instructions
Directions For the mixed fruit:
- Empty all the dried fruits into a bowl and rinse then dry with paper towels.
- A little at a time, add fruit and wine to a blender until it has blended into big chunks. You do not want a puree here! You can also do this in a food processor, just be sure to blend the fruits slightly.
- Pour fruit mixture into a large container and let it soak for at minimum 3-4 weeks to one year.
For the cake batter:
- Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs a few at a time.
- Add 3 ½ cups of the fruit mixture, the vanilla and lemon zest (and whatever other zests you would like to use). Mix together.
- Sift all dry ingredients together and add to the batter a little at a time.
- Your spatula or a small spoon should be able to stand up in the batter, this is how you will know it is ready.
- Pour into a 9 in a square pan, and bake for 55 minutes at 300 degrees. You can check the cake after 40 minutes. The toothpick should come out clean.
- Keep checking the cake after 40 min and in 10-minute increments thereafter.
- This cake is a very moist and wet cake, it is not supposed to be dry, if your cake comes out dry then you have over baked it.
- Let the cake cool completely before cutting and tasting, tasting it hot will mislead you to the actual taste.
the cake was cut up and ready to put into treat bags!
West Indian Christmas Fruit Cake
Have a Merry Christmas!!
JehanP says
I love your tree! I will be bookmarking this recipe, I've been looking for a fruit cake recipe to try and this looks great. Looks very moist..the only think I will do different is soak my cake in rum :-). Thx
Cynthia says
OMG, look how perfectly that cake is sliced! 🙂
Helly says
Hi Alicia , Luv you Site , I ve have been coming back since Christmas , I followed this recipe and the first time my Cake came out perfect… thanks so much and plez keep adding more recipes. The pictures are excellent too.. Keep up the good work and Thanks for sharing.
Timothy Thomas says
You are so very special thank you so much for the wonderful recipe and thank you for sharing with us I am a West Indian my self I am a Chef 👩🍳
Alica says
Thanks for your comment!
Serena says
Hi. Thanks for the recipe but can you tell me what brand and age of port wine you used? This is my first time making this at all and I've had a hard time finding "real" recipes.
Alica says
Hi Serena,
I used port wine, here is a photo https://www.totalwine.com/_static/webupload/730/2_970015_3.jpg
jadiesedibledelights says
Hello. I love your recipe. Any idea of the weight of this cake. In terms of pounds
jezrel says
Hi Alica, just stumbled upon your blog and love it! Will email you with questions re this fruit cake. Many thanks.
Deshauna Lashley says
My family uses rum. But everything else is spot on.
Gayathri says
Hi,
How many 9×9 inch cake does all the ingredients and 3 lbs of fruits make?I hope its not just one?
Annessa Ali says
Hi Alicia, usually I would have my aunts fruit cake laced with rum but unfortunately I am unable to have any due to my pregnancy this year and would like to know how could I substitute the rum or wine ?
Gayathri Bharath says
Hi Alicia….I made the cake….this week for my hubby's office get together. ….I am not a baker at all….this is my 3rd cake that I made ever.it was super soft moist and dense…just the way I always loved cakes.Thanks a tonne to make my Christmas and new year sweeter than ever.
Vangy says
Thanks so much for this recipe. When measuring in lb does 1 lb = 16 oz? I know it differs for dry and liquid just want to make sure I should be using 2 cups flour . Ty
Indra Shamma says
Hi Alicia, I was wondering in your Aunt's name was Eva Peters, you mentioned that she was a Home Economics teacher, that was the name of my Home Economics teacher, great lady.
Yahya says
Thank you for your delicious dishes and for the continuous hard work. Just a quick question if i may. How can i substitute the alcohol? We do not consumer any alcohol so the wine is not an option. Would "White Grape Juice" work? Thanks!!
Indra Shamma says
Hi Alicia, I was wondering if your Aunt's name was Eva Peters, that was the name of my Home Economics teacher and she was a great lady.
Debra Ross says
I am surprised how many want to lace this recipie with rum. This is meant to be the classic recipie for the entire family. It is not a black cake. The rum content in a quality port in just enough for this amaxing cake. Also if the fruits are soaked way in advanced you never have to use a blender. This cake was inveted before our fore parents had access and knowledge of blenders. Well soaked fruits just melt into the batter perfectly. Thanks for sharing. I have made this cake with a slight variation based on where i was born but you have provided an authentic recipie. Thanks again.
Deepa Singh says
Hi Alicia, do you have a recipe for Black Cake?
Jasmin D'Aguiar says
I made this last night, best Christmas fruit cake ever.
Basmattie & Akil says
Thank you so much for this recipe which made it possible for me to confidently make my first West Indian Christmas fruit cake. The results were fabulous.
While I followed your recipe fairly closely, I made a few changes to suit the guests I shall be having, such as soaking the fruits with 1/2 a bottle of rum as well, and baked the cake at 325 for one hour knowing that we all like our cakes to be a bit dryer than moist, also I baked the cake in two 9 in round pans so that I can decorate one of the cakes, using parchment paper at the bottom and around the sides, and added another cup of fruit to the recipe.
Thank you for making a shy baker into a confident one. After researching Martha Steward, Delia Smith, Nigella Lawson, and Jamie Oliver for a good Christmas Fruit Cake, I found your recipe and method and instructions the best and am so pleased and thankful for your labors of love in sharing this gem of a recipe that brings back so many wonderful memories of my childhood.
Yours truly,
One thankful Guyanese girl who now lives in Ontario.
Unknown says
Hey I am new to this blog and I was wondering if you have a black cake recipe. I am planning to soak my fruits for this recipe to try for next year and was thinking of also trying a black cake recipe.
Basmattie & Akil says
Thank you so much for this recipe which made it possible for me to confidently make my first West Indian Christmas fruit cake. The results were fabulous.
While I followed your recipe fairly closely, I made a few changes to suit the guests I shall be having, such as soaking the fruits with 1/2 a bottle of rum as well, and baked the cake at 325 for one hour knowing that we all like our cakes to be a bit dryer than moist, also I baked the cake in two 9 in round pans so that I can decorate one of the cakes, using parchment paper at the bottom and around the sides, and added another cup of fruit to the recipe.
Thank you for making a shy baker into a confident one. After researching Martha Steward, Delia Smith, Nigella Lawson, and Jamie Oliver for a good Christmas Fruit Cake, I found your recipe and method and instructions the best and am so pleased and thankful for your labors of love in sharing this gem of a recipe that brings back so many wonderful memories of my childhood.
Yours truly,
One thankful Guyanese girl who now lives in Ontario.
CakenGifts India says
Thanks for sharing this perfect recipe. It was too simple!!!!!!!
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Florence says
How do I get the cake black ? do I put some burnt sugar?
Alica says
Hi Florence, are you looking for a black cake recipe instead? There is one listed under “Cakes” on my site.
Lilly says
Hi Alica thanks for sharing. Is it 300°F or C?
Alica says
Hi Lilly, it’s Fahrenheit.
Karina Ameer says
I love this recipe sooo much! I’m the only baker and I am constantly looking for a good fruit cake recipe and this does not disappoint! I have been using this recipe for about 2 years and I still get compliments whenever I make it!! Thank you so much!! Quick question though, can this cake be made without alcohol? I want to know because my aunt cannot have alcohol and I really want her to try this cake!
Alica says
Hi Karina, that’s great! So glad you love this recipe! It’s a family favorite of ours as well. I think you could make it without alcohol, try using grape juice instead. Hope that helps!
Amanda says
Hi the 300 degree for baking the cake is it fahrenheit? My oven has degree celcius, what would be the temperature for it?
Alica says
Hi, it’s Fahrenheit.
Lisa says
I return to this recipe every year for the past 6yrs. Its the best!!!! Do you have a Guyanese style Ham recipe?
Alica says
Hi Lisa, that’s wonderful! I have a pineapple ham recipe, check under “pork”. Happy Holidays!
Pat says
Hello Alicia, I have tried many of your recipies over the last few years and ALL are spot on! I keep coming back each year in search for more. Your instructions and hints are most useful. Love the Stories leading up to the recipies, enjoyed those too. The trickiest one for me was the Guyanese Sponge Cake, yet It was a success. I mentioned your site to my Son, and he is constantly trying out new recipies without any short comings! and Yes I have enjoyed cassava pone, salara, home made bread, methai, pera, phoulorie, to name a few that he has tried! I am extremely confident with your Recipies, All So Well Done! Thank You! Thank You Again!
Pat Churaman says
Hello Alicia, I have tried many of your recipies over the last few years and ALL are spot on! I keep coming back each year in search for more. Your instructions and hints are most useful. Love the Stories leading up to the recipies, enjoyed those too. The trickiest one for me was the Guyanese Sponge Cake, yet It was a success. I mentioned your site to my Son, and he is constantly trying out new recipies without any short comings! and Yes I have enjoyed cassava pone, salara, home made bread, methai, pera, phoulorie, to name a few that he has tried! I am extremely confident with your Recipies, All So Well Done! Thank You! Thank You Again!
Alica says
Hi Pat,
Thank you so much for your lovely comment. That’s so wonderful you and your son have found success and enjoy the blog. I appreciate your support. If you ever have any questions feel free to email me!
Jermina Grant says
Hi Alica, your Christmas cake looks delicious. I’m going to try it this evening. If I cut the ingredients in half will it still come out as good?.
Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones.
Jermina
Alica says
Hi Jermina,
Yes it should be fine. Enjoy!
Reshma Sukhram says
Thanks for the recipe. My fruit cake came out amazing! Your website is such a great tool for a young Guyanese woman who struggles with ‘averaging’ as the elder ladies in my family call it 🙂
Reshma
Alica says
That’s awesome Reshma! And thank you for following ❤️! Happy holidays!
Dswn says
How long will the cake keep for?
Cindy says
Hi Alicia! I’m going to try this recipe this Christmas and was wondering how many cakes you can make with the fruit mixture. I may want to make a few extras for friends and neighbors so I want to plan ahead accordingly. Thanks in advance and wishing you an amazing holiday season!
Alica says
Hi Cindy! I’m not sure how many cakes the fruit mixture will yield. We typically add more fruit to the fruit mixture throughout the year, but I will test it. For the recipe itself, you will get two 9in cakes. Happy holidays to you as well!