Jamaican Rum Cake

Photo: flickr user adobemac

Ingredients

2 cups coarsely chopped mixed dried fruit

(raisins, apricots, cherries, 1 cup dark rum

1/2 cup dark beer

2 sticks butter, (1 cup)

3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

2 larges eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

3 tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

Preparation

Place dried fruit into medium bowl and pour over rum and dark beer. Cover and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a deep 9-inch round cake pan.

Transfer dried fruit mixture with liquid to food processor or blender and process until a smooth pulp is formed, about 10 seconds. Set aside.

In large bowl, beat together margarine and sugar with an electric mixer until well blended. Beat in eggs, vanilla, nutmeg, allspice, molasses and baking powder. Stir in flour, then pureed fruit until blended.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes our clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove to wire rack and let cool to room temperature before serving.