Caribbean Black Cake

Caribbean Black Cake – wedding cake, Christmas cake, fruit cake, rum cake, however you want to call this cake, this cake is one of those uniquely highly indulgent cakes of all cake. Deep dark, rich and boozy cake packed with dried fruits and warm spices; enough to melt your heart and please your palette!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Caribbean

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Soaking the Fruit 2 days

Total Time 2 days 2 hours 20 minutes

Servings - 10 slices

Calories 780kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

1-2 pounds dried fruits ( raisins, currants, prunes, cherries )
1 cup strong rum , plus more
1 cup sweet wine , plus more
10 ounce unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
5 large eggs
2 ¼ cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons browning
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon mixed spice (sub with cinnamon and all spice)
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons grated Lime
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Start by chopping all the fruits into little chunks, then place in a large bowl.
Pour rum and wine in the bowl of fruit, add enough alcohol to cover fruits. Cover and leave in a cool place for 2 days so it soaks up the alcohol. If leaving for more than 2 days, you may have to add more alcohol.
Pour the soaked fruit together with any remaining juices into a blender and blend until it's paste-like consistency.
Pre-heat the oven to 160°C/325°F. Grease and line the cake tin (pan) with baking parchment.
Cream together the butter and sugar at high speed until it’s fluffy and starting to look white, about 3- 5 minutes.
Stir in the eggs, a one at a time, beating the mixture well between each one and adding a tablespoon of the flour with the last egg to prevent the batter from curdling.
Sift in the flour, baking powder, followed by browning, molasses, almond and vanilla extract, mixed spice, and nutmeg. Mix the batter and then add the fruit blend and lime zest.
Stir well until everything is fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
Pour batter into a greased 10 inch cake pan.
Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 2 hours.
If desired, poke the cake with a toothpick, then brush each with about ¼ cup rum or sweet wine while the cake is still hot. Let the cake soak up the rum.
Let it cool completely before serving .
If desired, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wax or parchment paper. Store in a cool, dry place for up to 1 month.

Notes

If you want a dark cake you can add more browning and less molasses. Browning can be purchased in most Caribbean and International markets. Some major supermarkets do carry them, even Walmart.
Feel free to vary the amounts and types of dried fruits and spices depending on your preference. I played around with 1 -2 pounds of dried fruits for this recipe and it works. One pound of fruits is slightly on the dry side.
Make sure to buy a good quality of dried fruits as it is a crucial ingredient to this recipe.
Pay close attention to the grounded fruit mixture. Make sure it's not watery or lumpy, but that of a paste-like consistency.
If you're not comfortable whipping up the burnt sugar, you can always practice a few times OR go with store-bought browning/burning sugar. Make sure to taste it first before adding it to the recipe. Bitter burnt sugar would surely ruin the whole cake.
Don't forget to brush the cake with a rum or sweet wine and allow it to soak pretty well to add more flavor. You may cover it with plastic wrap right after brushing to seal in the moisture.
The cake must be baked 3-4 days ahead before serving it for the best flavor and texture. Yep, I know! This cake needs a lot of waiting. But you can always cheat and serve it after it cooled down. ;)
It's said to have been introduced by the British colonists in the form of plum pudding. It has been adopted by the locals in the Caribbean islands, with readily available ingredients.
You may try baking it in a bundt pan but keep in mind that the cake will need to bake for considerably longer and the resulting texture will be a bit denser than the original, but still delicious. A 23cm (9″) cake tin will work too. It would require a few more minutes to bake but it will be alright.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition