Jamaicas Famous Cake"Jamaicas Famous Cake: Fruitcake - Some of the Best on the Planet Although I think just about any fruitcake is delicious, the kind of fruitcake they make in Jamaica truly is outstanding. It really should be called Jamaica Traditional Fruit Cake, because that name describes it the best. Juliet Christie Murray will tell us all about this delicious island delicacy. Many people think a good fruitcake is something that's almost exotic. In Jamaica, however, a traditional, rich Jamaican fruit cake is extremely popular. Many people don't realize it, but this queen of cakes has its roots in centuries-old English plum pudding. Every Jamaican woman dreams about being able to make a delicious fruitcake. Over the years many have tried unsuccessfully, despite using traditional recipes handed down by previous generations. As it turns out, each individual household has its own secret and highly guarded variation on the recipe. They never disclose their exact method or all the ingredients they use in their fruitcakes.  Jamaican Fruit Cake...usually a lot darker! The creaming method produces the best type of Jamaican fruitcake. The cake is chock full of dried fruits such as cherries, currants, raisins and prunes, but none of the fruit originates on Jamaica. Although mixed peel is sometimes made in Jamaica, the remaining fruit ingredients are imported, which naturally makes the fruitcake more expensive. The tastiest versions of Jamaican fruitcake feature a dark brown color and a texture that resembles that of an English plum pudding. They have a rich alcoholic flavor and are also spicy. Sometimes, at least five different spices and flavorings are used. Depending on the preference of the fruitcake maker, there may be variations in the cake's alcohol content and color. There are enough variations of this delicacy that you could make an entire cookbook out of all the recipes. None would taste exactly like any other fruitcake, but all the varieties are superb. One specific Jamaican fruit cake ingredient is very difficult to find anywhere other than right in Jamaica. Anyone outside the country would need to send off to Jamaica or buy it at a West Indian store. This special ingredient hasn't even been heard of in some Latin American countries. This hard-to-find ingredient is a type of caramel that only Grace Kitchens can make. It serves as the browning that gives the fruitcake its rich brown color. You might try making this browning at home as it's a type of burnt sugar, but it won't ever turn out quite the way it should. And if you do try to make the browning in an American home, your smoke alarm will go off and bring the fire department to your door. Here is a delicious Jamaican fruit cake recipe you can try. JAMAICAN FRUITCAKE RECIPE (Yields two 9" x 3" fruitcakes) 2 cups (8 ounces) flour 2 cups (8 ounces) bread crumbs 2 cups (8 ounces) butter or margarine 6 eggs 1 cup (4 ounces) cherries 1 cup (4 ounces) currants 1 cup (4 ounces) mixed peel 1 cup (4 ounces) chopped prunes 1 cup (4 ounces) wine or brandy 1 cup (4 ounces) jam 1/4 cup (1 ounce) rum 1/4 cup (1 ounce) molasses 1/4 cup (1 ounce) honey 4 tablespoons browning 4 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice 1/4 ounces marmalade The rind of 1 lime or lemon, finely grated METHOD: 1.Chop or blend all fruits with wine and let sit overnight 2.Cream butter, browning and sugar until soft and fluffy 3.Beat eggs into mixture, one egg at a time 4.Sieve all dry ingredients together, including the bread crumbs 5.Add all fruits, jam and marmalade 6.Add rum and molasses 7.Fold in flour, but do not over-beat while mixing 8.Moisten with rum or brandy 9.If batter isn't sufficiently liquid, add more rum, brandy, wine or water 10.Mix batter to a consistency you can pour, although your spoon must be able to stand in the mixture 11.Grease baking tin with small amount of oil 12.Line baking tin with greased paper extending two inches above the pan 13.Bake at 300 degrees for between 2 and 2 ˝ hours. This delicious queen of fruit cakes should be served with rum sauce or covered with fondant, butter cream icing or royal icing. Enjoy, because this is Jamaican fruitcake at its best! [ Important note to diabetics: avoid eating this fruitcake due to its extremely high number of calories.] If you get a chance to try (or even to make your own!) Jamaicas Famous Cake don't miss out on the opportunity but beware...it can get addictive!
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