How to Make Christmas Rum Cake

• Prep: Soak the raisins, dried figs, and dried cherries in the rum before starting the cake. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a Bundt or ring-shaped cake pan.
• Beat the Eggs: Add the eggs, brown sugar, and oil to a large bowl. Beat until the mixture becomes lighter and increases noticeably in volume.
• Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.
• Make the Batter: Add the dry ingredients gradually to the egg mixture, folding gently until just combined.
• Add the Walnuts: Lightly dust the chopped walnuts with a little flour, then fold them into the batter. This helps keep them distributed throughout the cake.
• Add the Fruit: Drain any excess rum if needed, then gently fold the soaked raisins, figs, and cherries into the batter.
• Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan before carefully turning it out onto a serving plate.
• Make the Rum Syrup: Add the sugar and water to a small saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the rum and let the syrup cool slightly.
• Finish the Cake: Spoon or brush the rum syrup over the cooled cake, letting it slowly soak into the top.