Caribbean

Serving

Black Cake

Name: Black Cake
Total time: 180 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 2 cups mixed dried fruit (raisins, currants, prunes, and cherries), soaked in rum and red wine for at least 1 week; 1 cup butter, softened; 1 cup brown sugar; 5 eggs; 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 2 teaspoons mixed spice (or a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice); 1/4 cup dark browning (burnt sugar coloring); 1 teaspoon vanilla and almond extract; 1/2 cup dark rum, for feeding after baking

A dense Caribbean fruitcake made from rum-soaked dried fruits and dark browning, baked into a rich, boozy holiday cake.

180 minutes

Serves 8

Dessert

63 min prep

99 min cook

Contains common allergens

Egg Dairy Tree nut Wheat

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Instructions

8 steps

1
At least a week ahead, combine the dried fruit with enough rum and red wine to cover, and let soak, stirring occasionally.
2
When ready to bake, blend the soaked fruit in a food processor to a coarse paste, reserving the soaking liquid.
3
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F and line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
4
Cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time.
5
Fold in the flour, baking powder, and mixed spice, alternating with the fruit paste and a splash of the reserved soaking liquid, until just combined.
6
Stir in the browning until the batter reaches a deep, dark brown color, then add the vanilla and almond extract.
7
Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean; cover loosely with foil if the tops brown too quickly.
8
While still warm, poke the cakes all over and spoon dark rum over the top; repeat feeding the cakes with rum every few days for the best flavor.

Black Cake — plated and served — Serving moment. How Black Cake looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

62/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 60

Kid-friendly 55

Weeknight-easy 52

Budget-friendly 86

Great leftovers 87

Pantry-friendly 41

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

180

Calories

3 g

Protein

26 g

Carbs

0 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Black cake is the Caribbean Christmas cake, descended from British plum pudding and remade with rum-soaked dried fruits and browning, a burnt-sugar coloring that gives the cake its near-black hue. In many families the fruit is soaked in rum and wine for months or even a year before baking, making it as much an heirloom ritual as a dessert.

Listahan note

This version folds a puree of the rum-soaked fruit straight into the batter so every bite is moist and boozy, then bakes low and slow to keep the dense cake from drying at the edges.

Technique cues

Pureeing the soaked fruit rather than leaving it whole spreads moisture and color evenly so the crumb is uniformly dark and damp.
Bake low and slow: a gentle oven cooks this dense, sugar-heavy batter through to the center without scorching the browning-darkened outside.
The browning is added for color and a faint bitterness that balances the sweetness, so add it gradually and judge the shade as you go.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Soak the fruit days or weeks ahead, then puree it and line the pans while the oven comes to a low temperature.
Make-ahead: This cake is designed to age; wrapped and fed with a little rum, it keeps and improves for weeks.
Leftover move: Brush slices with a little extra rum and warm them gently, or crumble into a trifle with custard.
Cleanup rhythm: Line the pan with parchment so the sticky, dark batter lifts out clean instead of cementing to the metal.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Rum-soaked fruits

Flavor and moisture core

Purpose: The macerated dried fruit is the soul of the cake, carrying the rum, the moisture, and most of the flavor.

Handling: Soak well ahead and puree before folding in so the moisture distributes through the whole batter.

Adaptation: A quick simmer of dried fruit in rum and juice approximates a long soak when you are short on time.

browning

Color and bitter balance

Purpose: Burnt-sugar browning gives the cake its signature near-black color and a subtle bitterness that tempers the sweetness.

Handling: Add it a little at a time, checking the batter color so it darkens evenly without turning acrid.

Adaptation: Homemade caramelized sugar syrup or a measure of molasses gives color and depth, though molasses reads sweeter.

flour

Structure

Purpose: Flour gives the dense cake just enough structure to hold the heavy load of fruit without collapsing.

Handling: Fold it in gently at the end so the batter stays tender rather than turning tough.

Adaptation: A measured cup-for-cup gluten-free blend works, though the crumb sits a touch more fragile.

Butter and sugar

Creamed base

Purpose: Creaming them traps air and gives the dense, boozy cake its tender crumb.

Handling: Cream until pale and fluffy before folding in the soaked fruit and browning.

Adaptation: Brown sugar deepens the molasses note if you want it darker still.

Technique notes

Test with a skewer well before you expect it done; the dark exterior makes it easy to overbake by eye.
Wrap the warm cake and, if you like, spoon over a little rum so it soaks in as it cools.
Let it rest at least a day before slicing so the crumb sets and the flavors settle into balance.

Ingredient swaps

Gluten-free direction: Use a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend; the cake stays moist from the fruit but the crumb is a little more delicate.
Alcohol-free direction: Soak the fruit in grape and apple juice with a splash of almond extract for depth without the rum.
Weeknight shortcut: Simmer the dried fruit in rum for twenty minutes instead of soaking for weeks to get a same-day cake.

Serve alongside

Sharp aged cheddar
Lightly sweetened whipped cream
Fresh orange segments
Rum-spiked custard sauce
Aged sipping rum
Sorrel punch
Strong black coffee

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or refrigerate for up to a month.
No reheating needed; if you prefer it warm, microwave a slice for a few seconds to loosen the crumb.
Freeze well-wrapped for up to a year; thaw overnight at room temperature and feed with rum if desired.

Equipment

Round cake pan
Parchment paper
Food processor for pureeing the fruit
Long skewer for testing doneness

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