News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Dec. 9, 2022: It’s the holidays and that means Caribbean cakes and puddings will be filling many Christmas tables of Black and Brown Caribbean immigrants in the US, as many plan their Christmas and holiday baking in advance. Here are a few suggestions that will have all eating, drinking and being merry this holiday season.
Christmas Pudding
INGREDIENTS
1 cup margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
4 medium eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
1 teaspoon rose water
1 teaspoon lime juice and rind
1 cup prunes
1 cup mixed peel
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup cherries
1/2 cup currants
4 tablespoons Grace Browning
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons mixed spice
METHOD
Grease and line a 9-inch cake tin.
Cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.
Add vanilla, rose water, lime juice and rind.
Add blended fruits and browning.
Incorporate the flour that has been sifted with the baking powder and mixed spice. Use a little wine to adjust consistency, if necessary.
Scrape batter into the lined cake tin and cover using foil paper then with the lid of the cake tin.
Place cake tin into a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Steam on stove top for approximately 2 hours or rest the cake tin in a container with water in the oven at 180°C (350°F) and steam for approximately 2 hours.
*Gracefoods.com
Caribbean Fruit Cake
For the Fruits you will need to make this ahead of time:
INGREDIENTS
3/4 lb raisins
3/4 lb currants
3/4 lb prunes
1/4 lb candied cherries
1/4 lb mix citrus peel
1/4 lb almond or peanuts (optional)
METHOD
Wash and grind all ingredients.
This can done with a food mill or food processor.
Mix in about 2 cups of rum and allow to sit for at least 2 weeks. Store in an airtight container.
FOR THE CAKE
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cups sugar
2 sticks butter, room temperature
4 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp orange zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 cup fruit mixture
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour a 9-inch cake pan. Set aside. In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and orange zest set aside.
Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and mix until fluffy and light in colour.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition to make sure egg is incorporated. Please don’t rush this step, adding the eggs too soon or too many at one time can cause the mixture to separate.
Next add vanilla extract and almond extract to mixture, mix until incorporated.
Add flour and fruit mix and mix just until combine.
Place into prepared baking dish.
Bake for 45-50 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool.
*You can add about 1 tbsp of rum over the top as soon as it out of the oven to enhance the rum flavour.
Black Cake
Black Cake is a favorite in many Caribbean countries, including in Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, especially at Christmas. Here’s how to make it.
INGREDIENTS
2 lbs. brown sugar
1 lb. butter
12 eggs, beaten
1 lb. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon mixed spices
¼ pound mixed peel
1 tsp vanilla
Red Wine
Soaked ground mixed fruits and nuts
METHOD
Make a caramel by adding about one pound of the brown sugar to a pot and heating until it begins to melt.
Add at least a cup on wine and simmer until a dark colour is obtained.
Grease and double line an 8-inch cake pan.
Cream the rest of the sugar and butter until smooth or add to an electric mixer and let it do the work for you.
Add eggs one at a time (beaten or unbeaten) and mix.
Add in the soaked fruit and nuts and stir well.
Add enough caramel to make it as dark as desired.
Sift flour, baking powder and spice together.
Add a little at a time and fold in.
Mix into a soft dropping consistency by adding a little more of the wine or rum.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake in a slow oven at 300 degrees F, for 2 hours on the middle shelf.
Pour some of the remaining wine or rum over immediately after cake is baked.
Repeat 3 or 4 times.
Serve at room temperature.
Cake can be kept and preserved all year round by reading rum.
*NewsAmericasNow.com
