Jamaica Traditional Fruit Cake

To many individuals a good quality cake is seen almost as an exotic foods. In Jamaica the traditional rich old time Jamaican fruitcake is among the most popular. Unknown to many, this is a spin-off of the age old English plum pudding

It is the dream of every Jamaican woman to be able to make this queen of cakes. Many have tried and have gotten aged old generations recipes passed down to them but some how never really got it quite right since each household has its own secretly guarded variation and never really give out all the ingredients or the exact method used..

Cake

This best variation of this cake is made by the creaming method. It is packed with dried fruits. It may come as a surprise but none of the fruits used are from the island such as raisin, currants, prunes, cherries except mixed peel which is sometimes made in Jamaica. The others are imported and thus hike the price of the commodity.

Jamaica Traditional Fruit Cake

The best cake has the texture similar to an English plum pudding .The color is really dark brown and carries a rich alcoholic taste. It is also very spicy as sometimes there are at least 5 spices and flavours used.

There may be also different levels of color and alcohol content depending on the preference of the maker. There are so many variations that you could make a cook book with just Jamaican fruitcake and none would taste exactly alike but are all superb.

There is also one specific ingredient that is very difficult to get out side of Jamaica. If someone in the USA wishes to make this Jamaican fruitcake s/he would have to send to the island for this ingredient or get it only at the West Indian stores.

In some Latin American countries they have never heard of it. This is the browning that gives the cake its color. It is a type of caramel that only Grace Kitchens can produce.
One may attempt to make this browning at home as it is a type of burnt sugar. However it is never quite the same. If an attempt is made to try and make it in an American home ,pretty soon the fire services would come running because the smoke alarm will go off.

You experiences will be broaden when you read and have and tried the fruitcake recipe offered freely just for your experience.

INGREDIENTS :

o 8 ounces or 2 cup flour

o 8 ounces margarine or butter

o 8 ounces bread crumb

o 6 eggs

o 4 ounces currants

o 4 ounces mixed peel

o 4 ounces cherries

o 4 ounces prunes (chopped)

o 1 cup wine/brandy

o 1/4 cup rum

o 4 teaspoon baking powder

o 1 teaspoon vanilla

o 1 teaspoon cinnamon

o 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice

o 1/4 ounces marmalade

o 4 ounces jam

o 1/4 cup honey

o ¼ cup molasses

o finely grated rind of 1 lime/lemon

- 4 tablespoons browning

METHOD:

1. Chop or blend fruits with wine over night

2. Cream butter, sugar and browning until soft and fluffy

3. Beat eggs into mixture one at a time

4. Sieve all dry ingredients together along with bread crumb

5. Add fruits. Jam , marmalade

6. Add molasses and rum

7. Add flour and fold in. Do no over-beat when mixing.

8. Moisten with brandy

9. If liquid is not enough, add more rum, wine or water to the

fruitcake

10. Mix the fruitcake to a pouring consistency

11. The spoon must be able to stand in the mixture

12. Grease tin with a little oil

13. Line tin with greased paper extending two inches above the pan

14. Pour mixture about ¼ inch above the tin

15. Bake at 300 degree F for 2-21/2 hours

16. Yield: two 9'x 3' fruit cakes

serves cake with rum sauce , or covered with royal icing, fondant, butter cream icing.

NB.Diabetics are warned not to eat this cake as it has an extremely high caloric value.

Jamaica Traditional Fruit Cake

The author of this article is Juliet Christie Murray a Jamaican' teacher, she has authored two inspirational and cultural books of poems . She believes Jamaica is the ideal place to vacation. She is fascinated with writing and writes for various places on the internet.

http://www.specular-jamaica.com

http://blackwomenandtheirhair.blogspot.com

Cake Decorating Ideas

A delightful cake is all that we require celebrating an occasion. It not only adds color to our joy but also transcends us into a glorious world of fashionable food.

No cake is complete without its decoration. In fact decoration makes the cake fancier and makes us more eager to have it. For decorating a cake all that is required is sugar for icing and plentiful creative ideas to enhance the look and feel of the cakes. Moulds are available in the market in various shapes and sizes such as flower moulds or moulds in the shape of some cartoon characters. Thick cream can be filled in these moulds to get different kinds of items for beautification. Apart from cream other edible articles such as chocolates(grated, solidified into figures or in the liquid form), candies, butter cream, fruit pieces like cherries, strawberries and pineapples can be used according to imagination and occasion.

Cake

Thematic decoration of the cakes not only adds flavor to the occasion but also proves the importance of the occasion. Such as a cake meant for a wedding or an anniversary can be given a glossy or a snowy look by sprinkling fine sugar loosely over the top layer and its sides can be decked out with floral designs made of soft cream. Likewise a kid's party or a birthday can be made more colorful by positioning Disney characters using moulds on the top layer.

Cake Decorating Ideas

Cake decorations can also be designed with similar colors or symbols to remind important days like a cake with the color of national flag or symbol add stars to the celebration of the Independence Day. Similar arrangements can be done matching to the taste of the season.

There are a number of frostings or icings used for cake decorations. Victorian style, Royal icing, Fondant, Ganache, Marzipan are a few of them.

While cake decoration is a form of fine art, there are a number a number of culinary schools that teach this wonderful art. This art form can be learned from home too with the help of various books and CDs that provide step by step, simple procedures to master this skill. Cake decorating can become a good source of income once you become proficient in this art. Greater numbers of companies are looking for new and creative ideas for the decoration and ornamentation of the sugary coated sweet desserts. It can also be developed as a hobby that provides immense satisfaction and applauds once you are through with it. Hence cake decoration is a magnificent art.

Cake Decorating Ideas

Cake Decorating Ideas is a blog dedicated to cake decorating. Learn decorating techniques, view pictures of beautifully decorated cakes, read about what tools you can use to decorate cakes, and more by visiting this blog.

Traditional Jamaican Christmas Cake

Christmas fruitcakes have been baked for centuries with the oldest known recipe dating back to Ancient Rome. Fruitcakes were a way to preserve fruits and nuts as well as a way to celebrate the harvest and seek good luck in the coming year. Jamaicans favorite Christmas cake is dark, spongy and heavy, with rum soaked fruit and rich flavor. Eaten only at Christmas the cake is a favored gift and family tradition.

Ingredients:

Cake

* 1 lb. Raisins

Traditional Jamaican Christmas Cake

* 4 oz. Cherries

* ½ lb. Chopped prunes

* 2 oz. Cranberries

* 32 oz. Dark Jamaican rum

* 4 oz. Citrus peels

* grated rind of 1 lime

* 6 oz. or 1.5 cup flour

* 8 oz. butter

* 8 oz. sugar

* 4 eggs

* 1 tsp. cinnamon

* ½ tsp. allspice

* ½ tsp. Ground cloves

* ½ tsp. salt

* 1 cup wine/brandy

* 1 tsp. baking powder

* 1 tsp. vanilla

* 2 tbsp. browning

Directions:

Soak fruits, peels and rind in rum for two weeks before baking. In a separate bowl whip butter, sugar and browning until creamy. Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl and mix well. In a third bowl beat eggs and brandy together until well blended.

Add egg mixture to creamed butter mixture and blend well. Strain and add fruits, keeping rum for fruity drinks. Gradually mix dry ingredients to batter and fold together.

Pour batter into a lightly buttered 9" cake pan and bake at 350F for 1-½ hours checking after 1 hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Traditional Jamaican Christmas Cake

For further tips and ideas for cooking great and traditional food from around the world, visit Jamaican Recipes [http://www.worldwide-recipes.com/jamaican-recipes.html]. Article submitted by Jen Carter, owner of the World Recipes [http://www.worldwide-recipes.com] website.

Find more recipes & cookbooks at the One Dollar bookstore.

Diabetic Cake Recipes - Guide to Low Sugar Intake

When you are suffering from diabetes it is important to stock up certain items that will not let you feel left out at family celebrations or if possible give yourself a treat now and again. The sugar free diabetic cake mix should be a regular item in the pantry to make your desserts or even use in order to lower the sugar intake for other people in the family. On the other hand, even though you are using this sugar free mix you definitely don't want this dessert to come out tasting like the regular diet treats.

If you need guidance when making your cakes and desserts, the following suggestions will be able to have them tasting more the like the actual treats all the time.

\"Cake Recipes\"

First, simply by making use of applesauce as a fractional alternative for the cooking oil whenever you are creating delights from the sugar free mix this could aid in the reduction of both the fat and sugar within the particular recipe. The end result will enhance the taste and make it more desirable for both dieters and diabetics. The applesauce will enhance the actual texture but you should not go over the top with it, this substitute should be about half the quantity of the cooking oil and you will receive the best results.

Diabetic Cake Recipes - Guide to Low Sugar Intake

An additional strategy to enhance your cake mix will be to utilize a flavorsome dessert blend having absolutely no sugar in order to make layers in this cake. Generally, the basic sugar-free cakes might taste bland, but when you add a flavorful and creamy dessert blend somewhere between, such as a lemon cake mixes it will add some appeal. Additionally, you could create sugar free icing from one of the dessert mixes, such as this, simply by combining and preparing this in accordance to the actual directions on the package; this could then mix into a cool whip. You could include an additional dessert blend if you wish, by using an extra egg which will give you a moist rich pudding.

There is also the option of adding a can fruit to the particular sugar free mix and this can include crush peaches, mangoes or pineapples. The ideal fruit mix should be packed in water instead of syrup, because you want to use less sugar and the syrup will definitely add more calories and sugar. You might be thinking that the fruit will be sweet as well, but you have to understand that the fruit will add just the right amount of moisture and natural sweet taste to this dry or bland cake mix.

In conclusion, you could utilize fresh fruit juice as an alternative to the milk or water with the sugar free diabetic cake mix. The defrosting of orange concentrate will be a great technique in order to include a lemon flavor, which usually goes nicely with chocolate cake. If you like, you could also use vanilla flavoring or apple juice along with an angel food cake blend to include a subtle apple taste. All of this is just a few simple ways to really improve your diabetic cake mix, so you won't feel deprive or left out of the festivities.

Diabetic Cake Recipes - Guide to Low Sugar Intake

Colin Scott is diabetic cooking expert. For more great tips on Diabetic cake and diabetic birthday cake visit any of the links in this authors bio.

21st Birthday Cake Ideas

Top the cake with 21 candles: A traditional cake can be topped with 21 candles or two candles in the shape of a 2 and a 1. This leaves plenty of room and emphasizes the wonderful flavor the birthday celebrant looks forward to all year. Fill between layers with a favorite flavor like strawberry. Blowing out 21 lit candles is a whole new experience and can be fun to watch. After that, even a 21 year old, realizes they're getting old.

Make the cake in the shape of the numbers for 2 and 1: Everyone loves cakes made in special shapes. Large numerals made of cake really say it. Years later, it will be easy to tell what birthday it was from the photos. Since a great deal of the cake will be cut away to make the numbers, you should use a full sheet pan or two half sheet pans. Make sure you have plenty of frosting ready because the cut sides of the numerals will gobble it up like crazy.

Cake

Make the cake in the shape of wine bottles or a beer mug: 21 is the legal age for drinking. I don't promote drinking, but a cake in the shape of a wine bottle or beer mug can be fun for the right person. The shape may have to be oversized to have enough to serve party guests. The label on the wine bottle provides an opportunity for some humor. You can use the year of birth as the vintage and a play on the birthday celebrant's name as the name for the wine. Some wine glasses with ribbons can be set nearby to share a toast. Serve sparkling cider to those under 21 at the party.

21st Birthday Cake Ideas

Make the cake in the shape of a car: Driving is important to a 21-year old. A cake in the shape of his or her favorite car is a great way to celebrate. Use at least two layers, one for the body of the car and a smaller one for the passenger compartment. Tires are easy if you use dark chocolate cookies frosted and pressed on the side of the car (cake) body. Silver or black are very difficult frosting colors for the car body. Use wild colors like hot pink or lime green for the car body frosting and have fun. The glass in the windows can be done with light blue frosting and a few white highlights to indicate reflections. Very little detail is needed to make it look like a car once you have the basic shape and wheels. Soon your 21 year old will be driving away with a tasty piece of cake. Have fun!

21st Birthday Cake Ideas

Leefe Poche is the founder of http://www.cakes-you-can-bake.com

Sweet 16 Birthday Cake Ideas

A sixteenth birthday is always special. A 16-year-old is a class on his own - he or she is no longer considered a child, but is not an adult quite yet. This makes the planning for the birthday party hard, since you wouldn't want it to look like a children's party, but you don't want it to be too "adult" as well. Here are some sweet 16 birthday cake ideas that you can use.

Since the celebrant is young, color themes should also be young. Cake colors should be light, such as cream, pink, yellow and peach. Light blue shades as well as lilac and lavender may also be used. The colors and cake design must match the theme of the party. A layered fondant cake with pink or peach flower trimmings is ideal for parties with a costume ball theme. Celebrant can look like a princess with a balloon pink gown and tiara, and guests would wear costumes.

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Another cake idea for the princess theme is to make small cupcakes and put them in a multi-layered cake stand. Trim them with little flowers made of icing. When arranged well, the cakes would look like little pots of flowers in a flower garden. You can use one color, or mixed pastel shades of pink, yellow and light orange. This cake would also be perfect if the party has a ballerina theme. A fairy theme would also be nice, with guests carrying wands and wearing shimmering pink wings.

Sweet 16 Birthday Cake Ideas

With small round cupcakes, put colored frosting on top and arrange them so the cake would look like bubbles or balloons. This would look cute for a children's party theme, where guests can dress up like little kids. Instead of round cupcakes, you can also make square or rectangular ones, and decorate each with colored frosting to make them look like tiny gift boxes. With a little creativity, have fun with a frosting bag and create patterns to simulate gift wrapping paper and ribbons. Or you can decorate them to look like little colored trucks or cars. This cake idea can be used for any party theme.

For large parties, 16 photo cakes can be arranged to make a photo album cake. Photos of the celebrant from age 1 to 16 can be placed on each cake. Wouldn't it be fun for guests to see how the celebrant has grown and changed through the years?

So the next time someone turns sweet 16, finding birthday cake ideas should not be that difficult. You can browse through the internet and find pictures so you can show them to your baker. At this day and age, virtually any cake design is possible. So use your imagination, and be amazed at where it will take you.

Sweet 16 Birthday Cake Ideas

To learn more birthday cake ideas, visit http://www.birthdaycakeideas101.com

A Rich History of the Carrot Cake

Carrot cake is a confectionery conundrum: it seems you either love it, or you hate it. But either way, theres no denying the appeal of this rich dessert throughout history. Food historians tell us that the origins of carrot cake were likely a type of carrot pudding enjoyed during medieval times. Later, during the Middle Ages, sweetening agents were hard to come by in Britain and quite expensive, so as a result, carrots were often used in place of sweeteners. Interestingly, despite being such a longstanding mainstay in Europe, American cookbooks didnt start listing carrot cake recipes until the early 1900s. And, it was actually in the 1960s before carrot cake began becoming a more common cake in the United States, soon becoming the dessert of choice at summer family reunions picnics and Mothers Day celebrations.

Most all carrot cake recipes have a core group of ingredients in common, which are flour, sugar, spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, salt), baking soda/powder, butter or oil, nuts, and of course carrots. More adventurous bakers have branched out to embrace some rather exotic carrot cake recipes, which feature such ingredients as:

\"Cake Recipes\"

o Pumpkin

A Rich History of the Carrot Cake

o Coconut

o Pureed figs or prunes

o Chocolate chips

o Oranges

o Zucchini

o Crystallized ginger

o Beetroot

o Mashed sweet potatoes

o Papaya

In terms of carrot cake frostings, some people still prefer their carrot cake plain, although you will still see a lot of recipes for the traditional cream-cheese frosting. However, other carrot cake toppings that are delicious can be fondant icing (like on a wedding cake), Greek yogurt, lightly sweetened, buttermilk glaze with a zest of lemon, Royal icing, and chocolate icing.

Carrot cakes have become such a popular treat that there are many bakeries cropping up in America that specialize in making this vegetable-filled creation. As a result of this popularity, there are many carrot cake experts out there who are sharing their tidbits and secrets for making the very best kinds of carrot cakes. A sampling of those secrets includes:

o The amount of carrots you put into a carrot cake recipe will affect both the texture and taste of the cake.

o Using pureed carrots as opposed to shredding raw carrots will give your carrot cake a much more moist consistency.

o Use oil instead of butter - it will be MUCH moister than if you used butter.

o Use the zest of one orange in the batter for a zippier consistency.

These days, carrot cake-flavored treats come in such varieties as carrot cake latte, carrot cake ice cream, and even carrot cake flavored treats for dogs! Clearly carrot cakes whether made healthy with low fat ingredients, or made gooey with lots of rich ingredients are a crown jewel in the cake family that can finish off any meal in royal style!

A Rich History of the Carrot Cake

Candis Reade is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about A Rich History of the Carrot Cake [http://tastydesserts.info/a-rich-history-of-the-carrot-cake], please visit Tasty Desserts [http://tastydesserts.info/] for current articles and discussions.