Black Cake for Christmas (Black Cake)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Mixed dried fruit (raisins, currants, prunes), soaked in 250 ml (1 cup) dark rum and 125 ml (1/2 cup) — 500 g (3 cups)
- Red wine for at least 2 weeks
- Butter, softened — 250 g (1 cup)
- Brown sugar — 250 g (1 1/4 cups)
- Eggs — 5
- All-purpose flour — 300 g (2 1/3 cups)
- Baking powder — 1 tsp
- Ground cinnamon — 1 tsp
- Ground nutmeg — 1/2 tsp
- Ground cloves — 1/4 tsp
- Browning (caramelised sugar sauce) — 1 tsp
- Vanilla extract — 1 tsp
- Extra rum, for soaking after baking
Method
- Blend the rum-soaked dried fruit into a coarse paste using a blender or food processor.
- Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F) and grease and line a cake tin.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Fold in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
- Stir in the blended fruit paste, browning and vanilla until evenly combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 1.5-2 hours until a skewer comes out clean.
- While still warm, spoon extra rum over the top of the cake, repeating every few days if storing for later.
Introduction: A dense, dark fruit cake soaked in rum and wine, the centrepiece of Kittitian Christmas celebrations.
Cultural Background: Black cake is prepared for Christmas across the English-speaking Caribbean, with dried fruits soaked in rum for weeks or months beforehand, baked into a rich, dark cake that is a treasured family tradition often started well in advance of the holiday.
Tips: Soak the fruit for as long as possible, ideally several weeks to months, for the deepest flavour. Cover the cake loosely with foil partway through baking if the top browns too quickly.
Variations: Some households add chopped candied cherries or citrus peel to the soaking fruit; a lighter version reduces the alcohol soaking time to just a few days.
Storage: Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for several weeks, or refrigerate for up to 2 months, feeding with rum periodically.
Reheating: This cake is served at room temperature and is not reheated.
FAQs:
Q: How far ahead should I soak the fruit?
A: Traditionally weeks to months ahead; even a few days will still give good flavour if time is short.
Q: Why is the cake so dark?
A: The colour comes from the browning (caramelised sugar) and the deeply soaked dried fruit, not from chocolate or cocoa.
- Mixed dried fruit (raisins, currants, prunes), soaked in 250 ml (1 cup) dark rum and 125 ml (1/2 cup) — 500 g (3 cups)
- Red wine for at least 2 weeks
- Butter, softened — 250 g (1 cup)
- Brown sugar — 250 g (1 1/4 cups)
- Eggs — 5
- All-purpose flour — 300 g (2 1/3 cups)
- Baking powder — 1 tsp
- Ground cinnamon — 1 tsp
- Ground nutmeg — 1/2 tsp
- Ground cloves — 1/4 tsp
- Browning (caramelised sugar sauce) — 1 tsp
- Vanilla extract — 1 tsp
- Extra rum, for soaking after baking
Please log in to leave a comment.