Caribbean Christmas Cake Known As Black Cake
Transport your holiday table straight to the islands with this rich and festive Caribbean Christmas Cake, famously known as Black Cake. Bursting with the flavors of rum-soaked fruits like raisins, prunes, and cherries, this showstopping dessert gets its deep, signature hue from burnt sugar (browning) and its irresistible aroma from warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Perfectly moist and dense, this traditional treat is a labor of love, with fruits marinated for days—or even weeks—for ultimate flavor. Finished with a brush of rum to enhance its complexity, this decadent cake only gets better as it ages, making it the ultimate make-ahead holiday delicacy. Whether you’re celebrating Christmas or simply craving a taste of the tropics, this Black Cake is a timeless treasure and sure to be the centerpiece of any festive gathering.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Raisins
- 1 cup Prunes (pitted)
- 1 cup Dried cherries
- 1 cup Dried cranberries
- 1 cup Rum
- 1 cup Red wine
- 1 cup Unsalted butter (softened)
- 1.5 cups Brown sugar
- 5 large Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Almond essence
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground allspice
- 0.25 teaspoon Salt
- 0.5 cup Burnt sugar (browning)
- 0.5 cup Additional rum for soaking
Instructions
Combine the raisins, prunes, dried cherries, and dried cranberries in a large bowl. Pour the rum and red wine over the fruits, stirring to coat. Cover and let the mixture soak for at least 24 hours, or up to several weeks for best flavor.
Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and grease and line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract and almond essence.
In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, and salt.
Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
In a blender or food processor, blend the soaked fruits into a coarse paste. Add this fruit mixture to the cake batter and mix well.
Stir in the burnt sugar (browning) to give the cake its signature dark color.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake for approximately 2.5 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once the cake has cooled, brush the top with additional rum for added moisture and flavor. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap or foil, allowing it to mature for a few days before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
7018 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 231.3 g | 297% | |
| Saturated Fat | 136.3 g | 682% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.4 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 1476 mg | 492% | |
| Sodium | 2092 mg | 91% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 1023.9 g | 372% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 45.4 g | 162% | |
| Total Sugars | 718.2 g | ||
| Protein | 71.7 g | 143% | |
| Vitamin D | 8.0 mcg | 40% | |
| Calcium | 801 mg | 62% | |
| Iron | 26.2 mg | 146% | |
| Potassium | 4917 mg | 105% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
