Fruitcake is another popular cake in Guyana, similar to the Black Cake but typically has less fruit. It is however packed with lots of nuts and spices and is sometimes soaked in alcohol. In some cases, fruitcakes are decorated and iced for special occasions like weddings and other events. Since they are very rich, Fruitcakes are usually eaten alone; without cream or frosting. Every country has its own take on the Fruitcake, and so does Guyana! Read on and learn how to make fruitcake Guyanese style.
Fruit Cake – Photo CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=867018
About Fruitcake
Fruitcakes vary from country to country. Everyone has their own style of making this delicious cake.In some countries, fruitcake is more of a bread. It is typically made with a simple batter and fruits and nuts are stirred in and baked together. But you can also mix the fruits and nuts before making the batter, which helps to evenly spread them in the cake. This results in a thick, heavy cake packed with a variety of fruits and nuts. Sprinkling the cake with liquor after baking helps to preserve and moisten it and bring out the bold flavours.
Did You Know? Fruitcakes would normally last longer than most cakes because it is filled with fruits and nuts, especially if it is splashed with alcohol.
Making Fruitcake Guyanese Style
A classic Caribbean fruit cake is a basic pound cake recipe with almost equal parts of chopped fruit added to it. The result is a dense, moist cake that really has a give to it when you bite in. Now, this is no ordinary fruit cake; as you read you will see that this is not the recipe that has whole pieces of fruits and nuts in it. However, it is a recipe for fruitcakes that has a moist, dense texture, with minced fruit that has been soaking in red wine for a very long time – leaving you with a freshly baked Guyanese fruitcake.
Guyanese Fruitcake
Fruit Mixture Ingredients:
- 1 lb raisins
- 1 lb prunes
- 1 lb currants
- lemon, lime, orange zest (optional)
- 1 750ml bottle of port wine
Cake Batter Ingredients:
- 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
Method for the mixed fruit:
- Empty all the dried fruits into a bowl and rinse then dry with paper towels.
- 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.
- Pour fruit mixture into a large container and let it soak for at minimum 3-4 weeks to one year.
Method for the cake batter:
- Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs a few at a time.
- 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.
- Sift all dry ingredients together and add to the batter a little at a time.
- Your spatula or a small spoon should be able to stand up in the batter, this is how you will know it is ready.
- 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.
- Keep checking the cake after 40 min and in 10-minute increments thereafter.
- 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.
- Let the cake cool completely before cutting and tasting, tasting it hot will mislead you to the actual taste.
Tip: After the cake is completely cooled, make a few incisions and sprinkle alcohol in them.
Watch This: Easy Fruit Cake Recipe
Fruitcake In Guyana
Many in Guyana love a good, tasty fruitcake. They enjoy baking this scrumptious cake with the help of all the family members. For those who are not able to bake, they can order fruitcake from local bakers or buy at local bakeries in Guyana. But to get the best tasting fruitcake, you’ll have to follow the ingredients above and make your own freshly baked fruitcake!
Article References:
- https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/patricias_holiday_fruitcake/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruitcake
Last Updated: 2020-07-09
