A Lighter Jamaican Fruit Cake
By Nick 16-December 2025
Same tradition, different structure
It’s that time of year again, which means fruit cake season.
Traditional Jamaican fruit cake is rich, dark, and dense. Almost pudding-like. Sometimes it even has a chewy bite. That’s the fruit cake I grew up on. That’s the fruit cake I love.
This version takes things in a slightly different direction. Same spirit, same flavour profile, but a lighter texture and a bit more lift. This is not a replacement for the classic. It is just another option.
Let’s get into it.
Building a lighter base
For this cake, structure matters more than usual. That starts with properly creamed butter and sugar.
I’m using 8 oz butter and 8 oz sugar. Jamaican brown sugar is my preference here. It adds depth and complexity, but it does take longer to cream.
In a dense fruit cake, creaming is not critical. Under-creaming can actually work in your favour. But for a lighter cake, we want that trapped air. Cream until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and noticeably increased in volume.
While that’s working, let’s talk fruit.
The fruit and why soaking matters
My fruits were soaked for a few weeks, but even a few days will give excellent results. Some people soak their fruits for months or even a year. The longer the soak, the deeper the flavour.
You can cook fruits for a quick cake, but in my experience, it lacks the complexity you get from alcohol-soaked fruit.
My basic fruit blend
1 cup raisins
1 cup prunes
1 cup cherries
1 cup currants
1 quarter cup mixed peel
It’s simple and easy to remember. Availability varies, so adjust as needed.
The classic soaking trio
Fruit wine
White overproof rum
Red Label wine, a sweet fortified red at about 13 to 20 percent ABV
I use equal parts of each, enough to fully submerge the fruit. If soaking long term, top it up occasionally since the fruit absorbs alcohol over time.
Soaking does two important things. It builds deep layered flavour, and it softens the fruit, making it easier to blend smooth.
For a lighter cake, a smooth fruit blend is critical. Large chunks weigh the batter down.
For this recipe, I’m using 8 oz of blended fruit. A traditional dense version would use double that. Fruit quantity is the single biggest factor in how heavy a fruit cake turns out.
Completing the wet mixture
To the blended fruit, I add:
1 quarter cup homemade browning
1 quarter cup blackstrap molasses
1 tablespoon liquid mixed spice
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon almond flavouring
Mix and set aside.
Once the butter and sugar are properly creamed, we’re ready to bring everything together.
Eggs and emulsification
Add 4 medium room temperature eggs one at a time. Give each egg about 30 seconds to fully incorporate before adding the next.
Once the eggs are in, add the fruit mixture, mix briefly, scrape down the bowl, and mix again.
That’s it for the wet ingredients.
Dry ingredients and structure
This is where the cake’s structure really comes from.
I’m using 8 oz all purpose flour. A stronger flour works better here because the fruit mixture is acidic and weakens gluten. Cake flour tends to produce a crumb that is too fragile, especially once the cake is soaked.
To the flour, add:
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 half teaspoon salt
Sift everything together. This step is important. Sifting ensures even distribution, removes lumps, and makes the flour easier to incorporate without overmixing.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and use gentle cut and fold motions. Overmixing is not a problem for dense fruit cake, but here we stop as soon as everything is evenly combined.
Pan prep and baking
I’m using a single 8 inch pan, greased, lined, and greased again. This makes unmoulding much easier later.
The batter weighs a little over two and a half pounds, so it can easily be split into two smaller cakes.
Tap the pan to settle the batter, then bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
To increase oven humidity, place a pan of hot water in the oven. This helps prevent cracking, reduces excessive browning, and promotes an even rise.
Bake for about 90 minutes, then test. Mine needed an additional 15 minutes.
A clean skewer with a slight jiggle in the center means you are right where you want to be.
Soaking the cake
Once baked, soak the cake with about one quarter cup alcohol using the same equal parts mix of fruit wine, Red Label wine, and overproof rum.
A spray bottle gives the most even distribution.
Let the cake cool completely. Overnight is ideal. The alcohol absorbs fully and the colour deepens beautifully.
Finishing and tasting
The cake unmoulds easily. The top might be a little rustic, but the crumb tells the real story. Moist, rich, and noticeably lighter than the traditional version.
Fruit cakes are traditionally undecorated, but a light dusting of icing sugar and a cherry keeps things classic while adding polish.
The texture still has weight, but it melts in the mouth. It is not as fruit forward as a dense cake, but it is still deeply flavoured. I might dial back the molasses slightly next time to keep things even lighter, but don’t be fooled. This cake is serious.
It also has the structure to handle icing and heavier decoration, which opens up a lot of creative options.
Recipe Card
Lighter Jamaican Fruit Cake
Yield: One 8 inch cake or two smaller cakes
Soaked Fruit
1 cup raisins
1 cup prunes
1 cup cherries
1 cup currants
1 quarter cup mixed peel
Soak in equal parts fruit wine, white overproof rum, and Red Label wine until fully submerged.
Wet Ingredients
8 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
8 oz brown or granulated sugar
4 medium eggs, room temperature
8 oz blended soaked fruit
1 quarter cup homemade browning
1 quarter cup blackstrap molasses
1 tablespoon liquid mixed spice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon almond flavouring
Dry Ingredients
8 oz all purpose flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 half teaspoon salt
Instructions
Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy
Add eggs one at a time
Mix in fruit mixture and flavourings
Sift dry ingredients together
Fold dry into wet until just combined
Pour into prepared 8 inch pan
Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 90 to 105 minutes with a pan of water in the oven
Cool slightly, then soak with about one quarter cup alcohol
Cool completely before slicing
