I’ve been in the kitchen, watching my Grandma and Mommy make Christmas cakes for decades, and I have yet to bake a traditional Jamaican Christmas cake myself. Well, this Christmas, I am sharing the general recipe with you so that you can plan to bake it next year, as I am planning to do so also. Here’s the general recipe recorded from Mommy making our Christmas cakes this year. As with all recipes, folks may choose to add their own flair, so please don’t take this as the only way to make Jamaican Christmas cake, but it is the recipe that has produced delicious Christmas cakes in our family for years! Culturally, we tend to not use super strict recipes and we tend to use our judgment while learning by doing.

*Scroll Down For Downloadable Recipe Card*

INGREDIENTS 

*The highlight* 

Fruits (soaked for months, up to a year, in Wray & Nephew overproof white rum, Red Label wine, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla) 

1 lb sugar 

1.5 lbs butter 

1.5 dozen eggs 

1.5 lb flour (Approx. 6 cups. Divide in 3 to add to mixture in thirds) 

At least 2lbs soaked fruit 

1.5 tbsp baking powder 

At least 2 bottles of browning 

Nutmeg 

Cinnamon 

Vanilla 

Optional: 1 or 2 limes 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees / Once it gets to 450 degrees, decrease oven to 225 degrees. 

*** 

RECIPE

First, mix the sugar and butter until smooth. 

Then, add the eggs gradually and mix until smooth. 

You may also add some of the lime juice with the rind to add flavor and cut the rawness of the eggs. 

Fold in the first batch of flour until smooth. 

Then, add the soaked fruit with the second batch of flour. Fold in the flour until smooth. 

Then, add the baking powder with the last batch of flour. Fold in the flour until smooth. 

Add desired amount of browning. 

You may add more nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla as desired. 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees / Once it gets to 450 degrees, decrease oven to 225 degrees.  Place uncovered cakes in oven to bake. Check cakes at about an hour and a half to 2 hours. Bake cakes at 225 degrees for at least 2 hours, until fully baked. 

After removing cakes from the oven, pour Red Label Wine onto cakes, while they are warm, to help keep cakes moist.