Festive Caribbean Fruit Cake

Here’s what to do

• Prepare your fruits
• Fruit can be prepared up to 12 months in advance, but at the very least, try to let it soak for 3 months. The longer it soaks, the better.
• Wash and dry all fruits. Mix together in a large bowl. Place fruits a little at a time in a food processor, or blender. Add just enough port to grind fruits to a paste. Repeat until all the fruits have been blended. The fruit mixture should not be too runny.
  
  Remove to a large jar and add remaining port and all the dark rum. Stir and let mixture soak a minimum of one week (I prefer 2-3 months minimum) and up to a year.
• Periodically add more wine or rum to keep it moist, but not too liquid.
• Make the browning
• Place sugar in a small saucepan and turn the heat on low. Gently stir and turn the sugar over with a spoon until it begins to melt and caramelise.
• It will start to stick to the spoon, but DON’T TOUCH! It will burn!
• Once the sugar has melted completely and turned a deep brown colour, slowly and carefully add the water (or port). Stand back as it may spit, then stir the mixture until it’s nice and smooth.
• Remove from the heat and let cool, then strain into a jar. Cool completely before using.
• Get ready
• Preheat oven to 135-150C.
• Line 2x 20cm + 1x 15cm cake tins with 2x layers of brown paper and one of baking parchment. This will help with even cooking. Make sure the parchment is the paper the cake will actually be touching.
• Let’s bake cake
• Make sure your eggs and butter are at room temperature.
• Crack the eggs into a jug and add the zests, vanilla, almond, and lemon extracts. Whisk lightly to break the eggs and mix the ingredients through. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients together. Set aside.
• In deep mixing bowl or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until pale. Add eggs a little at a time, beating well between each addition.
• Turn the speed down to low and continue beating while adding the fruit mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time.
• Remove from the stand mixer and add the flour mixture 1/3 at a time, folding through after each addition.
• Next, add the burnt sugar (browning) one tablespoon at a time until desired dark colour is achieved (3-4 tbsp should be enough). Mix well.
• Divide the batter between the lined cake pans.
• Bake at 135-150C around 1-1.25 hours.
• Test with a metal skewer – they are cooked when it comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle the extra alcohol mixture on top, then leave to cool in the tins.
• When cooled, remove from the tins and wrap in foil before storing in airtight containers.
• Sit for a minimum of three days before cutting.