This cake has many names and whether you call it great cake, rum cake, fruit cake, Christmas cake or wedding cake.
It's a cake that you will never forget, as long as it's made with mixed fruit ingredients, rum, and port wine base, and the culinary talent to establish the overall balance and consistency of the great cake, it will be what it is made to be.
And that is a great cake, fruit-flavored rum base succulence that melts in the mouth.
From its taste to its texture and the ambiance flow of the after-taste. the greatness is always there to enjoy as it has a pleasing and most recommended taste, that you would always enjoy.
I remember years ago as a little child my grandmom ( may her soul RIP) used to bake this delicious cake, and I always wanted more because it tasted so good.
It has become a favorite cake of mine, and through the years I've been indulging myself with it.
Through the years of being with my grandmom, I've watched and learned how to make the perfect great cake, and today I've mastered the method.
I can also say that mine is the same as my grandmom's, the same taste, texture, etc it's because I learned from the best.
You know grandparents are always the ones, we as sons, daughters, and grandchildren run home to, as we enjoy what they have cooked and baked.
It's just that everything that they cooked or baked always has that grandmom kind of special ingredient that you always enjoyed and got so accustomed to.
Here in the Caribbean, it does not have to be a holiday season as the great cake is readily available in stores almost everywhere.
Everyone has their preference for the cakes that they like to eat and enjoy, mine is and has always been a good old-fashioned made great cake.
As for the method of making this delicious cake, some people had a preference of soaking the ingredients in a bowl for some time before baking, my grandmom used to soak hers for about a few months leading up to the holiday season.
But now it does not matter, because, with the new technology and devices, we have blenders, food processors, etc that can mix and blend all ingredients and make the long days of soaking avoid.
For me, soaking for a long time or just blending everything is never a problem to me.
I always continue to use the same ingredients and the method that makes the preparation a little easier as to obtain the same consistency and texture of the great cake always, as long as you know what you are doing it's like child's play.
For the ingredients you need:
1/4lb nuts (optional)
1/2 lb mixed peel
2lbs sugar
2tbsp spice
2tbsp nutmeg
2tbsp cinnamon
10 eggs
1 750ml bottle rum
1 750mlbottle port wine
12 oz flour
1tsp baking powder
1lb margarine
1tsp salt
1tbsp vanilla essence
food browning
1 cup of water if needed
Method
Preheat oven to 160 degrees c/325 degrees F.
Prepare pans of your choice, by evenly lacing with butter, and after dust with flour to lightly cover all the grease pan to avoid sticking, you can discard the excess flour out the pans.
In a blender, blend all fruit, essence, rum, and port wine, do this gradually as the paste would thicken and you would have to use the rum and port wine gradually to maintain a good texture for the blender to blend fruits adequately.
When everything is blended, the consistency should be of a soft paste, as everything will have a puree look, all textures and flavors will be fused, to give the great cake the texture, taste, and appeal that it is known for.
In a large mixing bowl, mix butter and sugar until a soft fluffy consistency, then add the blended fruit mixture, mix thoroughly and then add the food browning for the color.
Test the mixture and make sure that the consistency has an easy drop off from the spoon, if you have to use water or rum or wine mix to get the right consistency you can proceed to do such.
This mixture can make many cakes depending on the size pans that you are using, cupcakes can also be done with the mixture.
When you are satisfied with the texture, pan, and bake, this cake bakes fast so continue to monitor it and test it but dip a toothpick in the middle to see if the inside is still soft.
When you dip the middle of the cake and it does not have a run-off on the stick you would know that it's fully baked.
Take the cakes out of the oven and place, on the cupboard to cool off, can be served after.
Great cake can last a very long time, as long as it is soaked with a wine and rum base, and kept in a good container, it can also be stored in the refrigerator.
I got six cakes from my mixture, and as you can see I've placed the icing in the middle, what can I say, I like to indulge in sweetness sometimes:)
Bon Appetit.
