Jamaican Black Cake (Christmas Rum Fruit Cake)
A dark, sticky fruit cake made with rum-soaked fruit, deeply spiced and traditionally made for Christmas and weddings.
- Time2 hr 45 plus soaking
- LevelHard
- Costabout £0.91 a head
- Oven150°C (130°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
The day before, or up to a week ahead, finely chop or blitz the raisins, prunes, currants and cherries in a food processor until coarse and jammy. Tip into a jar and pour over 150 ml rum and the port. Cover and leave for at least 24 hours, stirring when you remember.
- 2
Heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan). Grease a deep 20 cm round tin and line the base and sides with two layers of baking paper.
- 3
Beat the butter and sugar for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour with each. Stir in the treacle, vanilla, and the orange and lime zest.
5 min - 4
Sift in the flour, baking powder and spices and fold gently. Stir in the soaked fruit and any liquid left in the jar until evenly mixed.
- 5
Spoon into the tin, level, and bake for 1 hr 45 to 2 hours, until firm and a skewer comes out clean. Cover the top with foil if it browns too fast.
105 min - 6
Prick the hot cake all over and spoon over 3 tbsp rum. Leave in the tin until cold, then wrap well. It keeps for weeks and is best after a few days.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
