Caribbean Black Cake, also known as Fruitcake or Black Cake at Christmas time has become a holiday tradition in the Caribbean. It’s one of those cakes that you either love or hate.
But if you’re like me,”A Fruitcake Lover”, Christmas will not be the same without a few slices of Caribbean Christmas Cake together with a large glass of sorrel juice.
BTW: If you’re planning on making a fruitcake for this Holiday Season, you should off already have your fruits soaking in (red) wine. If not, I’m afraid your fruit will not have that rich wine-like flavor.
Nevertheless, we are curious to hear how your fruitcake(s) turned out. Tell us in the comments.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. prunes
- 1 lb. currants
- 1 lb. raisins
- 1/2 lb. mixed peel
- 1 doz. eggs
- 2 teaspoons almond essence
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground clove
- 1 lb. cherries (quartered)
- 1 lb. flour
- 1 lb. brown sugar
- 1 lb. butter
- 4 teaspoons vanilla essence
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
- 2-3 bottles red wine
How to Make Caribbean Black Cake
Mince together prunes, currants and raisins after having removed seeds. (It is always better to buy the seedless ones.) Pour into bottle and cover with wine. Soak for several weeks or months.
Mix cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Break eggs in butter mixture (no need to beat the eggs) and mix thoroughly. Add soaked fruits, but not too much wine, and mix well. Add mixed peel and cherries which have been floured lightly. Add essences and spices and mix well again. Stir in flour and when all is mixed, you may add some of the wine from the soaked fruit. Add brown food colouring to make cake as dark as desired. Pour mixture in well greased and lined (with grease proof paper) cake tins and bake in pre-heated oven at 300F. This will take over an hour, but check by inserting sharp knife in cake, which is good when knife comes out clean.
Allow to cool, and when just barely warm soak very generously with red wine or sherry. You will probably get two cakes, and if necessary the recipe may be halved.
Recipe by:Yolande Cools-Lartigue author of The Art of Caribbean Cooking.
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Thanks for the recipe. I’ve heard that, along with the wine, a lot of people use overproof rum to give it that little extra. I’m a Caribbean native and I do remember those days when Christmas wasn’t Christmas without fruit cake. Unfortunately since I now reside in California I hardly ever see it. I have even ordered online through Aunt Eulie’s and Jamaican Pride, which both tasted great, but I am hoping to find some locally. Maybe I’ll even be inspired to try it myself using your recipe!
You are welcome Kimberly. And don’t be afraid – try this recipe and put your own personal spin on it.
– Chris
Fruit Cakes are quite addictive and my mom always bake them every month.
Fruit Cakes are the specialty of my grandmother, she bakes lots of fruit cakes.:,~
I love those German fruit cakes because they have more nuts in it
my sister always bake fruit cakes coz we always love to much them at night.~*
this December, fruit cakes are becoming more common in our local supermarket. I love fruit cakes!