Trinidadian Black Cake (Rum-Soaked Fruit Cake)
Local name: Black cake
In short: A dark, moist Caribbean fruit cake of rum-soaked dried fruit, warm spices and burnt sugar syrup. A Christmas and wedding classic in Trinidad. It takes about 2 h 45 min in total and makes 16 servings.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 2 h
- Resting
- 72 h
- Total
- 2 h 45 min
- Servings
- 16
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 390 kcal
Black cake is the dark, dense, boozy fruit cake at the center of Christmas in Trinidad and Tobago, and it is also the traditional wedding cake. Dried fruit is soaked in rum and wine for days or weeks, ground to a paste, then baked into a butter cake colored almost black with burnt sugar syrup. The slices are moist and spicy with a bittersweet edge, and the flavor deepens as the cake sits.
Instructions
- Combine all the soaking fruit with the 250 ml of rum and the wine in a clean jar. Cover and soak at room temperature for at least 3 days, shaking once a day. For the deepest flavor soak for 2 weeks or longer, refrigerating after the first week.
- Make the syrup. Melt the white sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, without stirring, until it turns very dark, almost black, and begins to smoke, about 8 to 10 minutes. Step back and carefully pour in the hot water, which will spit. Stir until smooth, simmer for 2 minutes and cool.
- Heat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Grease a 20 cm (8 inch) round cake pan, 7.5 cm (3 inches) deep, and line the base and sides with parchment paper.
- Blend the soaked fruit and all its liquid in a food processor to a thick, jammy paste with a few small pieces left.
- Beat the butter and brown sugar for 4 to 5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, almond extract, lime zest and bitters.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt together. Fold into the batter in two additions, then fold in the fruit paste and 3 tbsp of the syrup. Add a little more syrup until the batter is a deep, dark brown.
- Scrape the batter into the pan and level the top. Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, covering with foil after the first hour if the top darkens too fast, until a skewer comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
- Brush the hot cake with the 60 ml of rum. Cool completely in the pan, then wrap in parchment paper and foil and keep for at least 1 day before slicing.
Tips
- The syrup should be nearly black but not acrid. If it smells sharp and bitter, start again. Leftover syrup deepens the color and flavor of stews and sauces.
- The longer the fruit soaks, the better the cake. Many cooks start the soak months ahead, and the baked cake improves for a week or two when wrapped and brushed with a spoonful of rum.
Questions and answers
Why is black cake so dark?
The color comes from dried fruit puréed after a long soak and from burnt sugar syrup, which adds depth and a slightly bittersweet flavor.
How long does black cake keep?
Wrapped well, it keeps for 2 weeks at cool room temperature, 2 months in the refrigerator and 6 months in the freezer. Brush with a spoonful of rum every week if keeping it longer.
Can I make black cake without alcohol?
Yes. Soak the fruit in cherry or grape juice with a squeeze of lime for 1 to 3 days in the refrigerator, skip the rum brushing and eat the cake within a week. Some alcohol remains in a traditional cake.
How long does it take to make Trinidadian Black Cake (Rum-Soaked Fruit Cake)?
About 2 h 45 min in total: 45 min of preparation and 2 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Trinidadian Black Cake (Rum-Soaked Fruit Cake)?
About 390 kcal per serving, with 4 g of protein, 56 g of carbohydrates and 13 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 390 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 56 g |
| Fat | 13 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 40 g |
| Sodium | 120 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
