Professional baker Joelle James describes herself as something of a perfectionist. Little surprise, really, considering her major project whilst at school was the execution of a traditional wedding cake! Her biggest challenge, she tells Thursday Food, is getting that perfect end product. “Baking is extremely precise and one wrong measurement can spoil the entire product. If you don’t have patience, baking is going to be a challenge,” she adds.

Love is what we’re told makes James’ cakes so special, plus rum, rum and more rum! “I have to have a bottle of white rum at all times. What is fruitcake without rum? Certainly not a traditional Jamaican Christmas one!” she admits.

Christmas CakeIngredients:

1 lb butter

1 lb brown sugar

8 eggs

1 lb cake flour

½ lb breadcrumbs

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp mixed spice

1 tbsp nutmeg

1 tsp salt

1 bottle browning

1 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp vanilla

1 tbsp almond essence

1 lb raisins

1 lb currants

1 lb prunes

1 lb cherries

Wray & Nephew White Rum

1 bottle Red Label Wine

1 bottle bulk wine

NB: Soak and blend fruits at least 1 month before baking.

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line baking tins.

Sift all dry ingredients and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar and scrape down the sides of the mixture at intervals.

Add eggs, one at a time.

Add browning and mix thoroughly.

Fold in flour mixture and mix until fully combined.

Add blended fruits, vanilla, almond essence and lime juice.

Pour mixture into prepared tins, place in oven and bake for 60-90 minutes.

NB: To know when the cake is baked, insert a skewer into the centre and once it comes out clean, your cake is done.

Professional baker Joelle James describes herself as a perfectionist. Little surprise, really, considering her major project whilst at school was the execution of a traditional wedding cake! Her biggest challenge, she tells Thursday Food, is getting that perfect end product. “Baking is extremely precise and one wrong measurement can spoil the entire product. If you don’t have patience, baking is going to be a challenge,” she adds.

Love is what we’re told makes James’ cakes so special, plus rum, rum and more rum! “I have to have a bottle of white rum at all times. What is fruitcake without rum? Certainly not a traditional Jamaican Christmas one!” she admits.