When the fruit has absorbed most of the liquid* and has cooled
almost to room temperature, puree it in a blender until it’s a fruity,
rummy mash.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Fill a baking pan halfway with
water and place it on the oven’s bottom shelf to create steam.
Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray, line it with
parchment paper, and spray once again. Dust it with flour,
tapping out any excess.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt,
cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the
butter with the brown sugar until fluffy and light, about 3 minutes.
Lower the speed and add the eggs, one at a time, until they’re fully
incorporated.
Add the vanilla, molasses, and blended fruit to the mixer and
mix just until they’re combined.
With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the
wet ingredients, a little at a time. Finish by incorporating the final
bit of flour mixture into the batter with a rubber spatula.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake until the
top is dark and firm, 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a cake tester
comes out clean.
Remove the cake pan to a cooling rack, wait 5 minutes, and then
flip the cake down onto another cooling rack, remove the pan and
the paper, and sprinkle with the reserved ¼ cup rum. Allow to
cool completely. To serve, flip right side up onto a cake stand and,