A West Indian Christmas Fruit Cake

Ingredients

• 1 lb raisins
• 1 lb prunes
• 1 lb currants
• lemon, lime, orange zest (optional)
• 1 750ml bottle of port wine
• 1 lb butter
• 1 lb sugar
• 1 lb flour
• 9 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg (add 1tsp if you like a lot of nutmegs)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 lemon, zested
• 3 1/2 cups of blended fruit mixture

Instructions

1. 1

   Empty all the dried fruits into a bowl...: Empty all the dried fruits into a bowl and rinse then dry with paper towels.

2. 2

   A little at a time, add fruit and...: 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.

3. 3

   Pour fruit mixture into a large container and...: Pour fruit mixture into a large container and let it soak for at minimum 3-4 weeks to one year.

4. 4

   Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs a...: Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs a few at a time.

5. 5

   Add 3 1/2 cups of the fruit mixture,...: Add 3 1/2 cups of the fruit mixture, the vanilla and lemon zest (and whatever other zests you would like to use). Mix together.

6. 6

   Sift all dry ingredients together and add to...: Sift all dry ingredients together and add to the batter a little at a time.

7. 7

   Your spatula or a small spoon should be...: Your spatula or a small spoon should be able to stand up in the batter, this is how you will know it is ready.

8. 8

   Pour into a 9 in a square pan,...: 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.

9. 9

   Keep checking the cake after 40 min and...: Keep checking the cake after 40 min and in 10-minute increments thereafter.

10. 10

    This cake is a very moist and wet...: 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.

11. 11

    Let the cake cool completely before cutting and...: Let the cake cool completely before cutting and tasting, tasting it hot will mislead you to the actual taste.