Jamaican Rum Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups coarsely chopped mixed dried fruit (raisins, apricots, cherries, figs or dates)
• 1 cup dark rum
• ½ cup dark beer
• 2 sticks (1 cup) margarine
• ¾ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• 3 tbsp molasses
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1¼ cups all-purpose unbleached flour

Directions

1. Place dried fruit into medium bowl and pour over rum and dark beer.
2. Cover and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a deep 9-inch round cake pan.
4. Transfer dried fruit mixture with liquid to food processor or blender and process until a smooth pulp is formed, about 10 seconds. Set aside.
5. In large bowl, beat together margarine and Sugar with an electric mixer until well blended.
6. Beat in eggs, vanilla, nutmeg, allspice, molasses and baking powder.
7. Stir in flour, then pureed fruit until blended.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan.
9. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.
10. Remove to wire rack and let cool to room temperature before serving.