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Add a bit of Rum Punch...
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Making the traditional Christmas Pudding/Rum Cake in Jamaica is A GREAT TRADITION.
When Jamaicans are in a foreign country there is no greater gift that can be mailed to them than the Christmas cake .Without this cake and a special drink called sorrel or rum punch then it can't really be Christmas time .
The day before my mother died she was making this cake to send back to New York with my sister who was visiting for the Christmas Holidays. In my new family - (THAT IS MY HUSBAND , OUR TWO CHILDREN AND I) the first person to TO MAKE THIS PUDDING WAS MY 4 YEAR OLD SON. His kindergarten teacher thought that teaching them how to measure and work as a team could best be demonstrated by making the traditional Christmas pudding. It would serve another purpose .It would be dessert for parents after they watched their little darlings in the Christmas play. It all went according to plan, but after we had all finished eating and were so proud , she explained that some of the enthusiastic bakers, including our son had been unusually creative and had added a bit of sand from the sand box into the mixture! As we made the cake each year we did not keep that as part of the tradition.
The writing of this recipe was at the request of our daughter who has a love of fine foods, has enjoyed baking since about age 10 and loves challenges. I wanted this passed down and so did she. Once the recipe was printed even in its most crude form, relatives kept taking copies. My daughter said,Patricia ,I think other people would like this. Her landlord loved a sample of the pudding I mailed to my daughter who lived in San Francisco. Her landlord was determined to try to make the cake. They followed the recipe and turned out a great pudding, .My daughter came to Miami for Christmas brought her cake to a large family gathering and the cake received raves all around in a blind tasting. My sister in-law, Pearline, who is the force behind the nuances which make this cake so good eats at least 1 whole cake each Christmas. We have baked it together for almost 20 years and it is the getting started that is the hardest part but it is so wonderful you too will know its truly Christmas when you start to bake .
The left over fruit goes great to make a terrific bread pudding, spooned over vanilla ice cream or added to a yellow cake mix for a special tasting cake very light and delicious cake , which can be enjoyed anytime of the year.
Here is the world famous Jamaican Rum Punch Recipe.
1 of sour
2 of sweet
3 of strong
4 of weak
This is how that translates:
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice.
2 cups Jamaican strawberry syrup
3 cups Jamaican Overproof white rum
4 cups of water
Pour all the ingredients together in a bowl, then transfer the punch into an empty glass liquor bottle . Any 759 ml liquor bottle will be just fine. Cork or place stopper on the bottle and put in the refrigerator to keep cold until ready to serve.
This is a pleasant , sneaky drink, so serve it in small glasses and sip slowly.
As Jamaicans leave the homes visiting and tasting and comparing rum cakes throughout the Holiday as they depart we say, walk good my friend? To you I say, walk good,fellow bakers?
Happy Holidays! Merry X-mas!
ORDER THE ORIGINAL RUM CAKE RECIPE! ONLY $2.00
AUNTIE P's
17000 NW 67 Ave. #125
Miami, FL 33015
Please send a check for $2.00 to get a copy of these original recipes! You won't be dissapointed. /
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