Caribbean Black Cake - Immaculate Bites

This decadent and unique Caribbean black cake is deep, dark, rich, and boozy, and packed with dried fruits and warm spices. Do you need a simple but indulgent recipe for a wedding, Christmas, or rum cake? Then here it is!

 

While this famous Christmas fruit cake has numerous variations, it’s pretty straightforward. I can’t claim that this recipe is the original, but I can say that it will BLOW YOU AWAY. So, if you have to have your traditional fruit cake for Christmas, this will fill the bill.

Plus, you’ll fill the house with warm Christmas cake aromas once this fancy, boozy cake takes center stage. Every forkful of this amazing spiked cake is indulgent bliss. Everyone will be surprised that this deep, rich color doesn’t have a speck of chocolate. You can make the chocolate cake for Valentine’s.

What Makes Caribbean Fruitcake Black?

The rich, deep black color comes mainly from the browning sauce, but molasses helps too. And, of course, rum and wine-soaked dried fruit and proper fermentation all pitch in for a decadently moist holiday fruitcake.

How to Make Caribbean Fruit Cake

1. Chop all the fruits into little chunks, then place them in a large bowl. (Photo 1)
2. Pour rum and wine into the bowl of fruit, adding enough to cover the fruits. Cover and leave in a cool place for two days, so it soaks up the alcohol. Add more if needed. (Photo 2)
3. Blend the soaked fruit with any remaining liquids in a blender until it has a paste-like consistency. (Photos 3-4)

1. Cream the butter and sugar at high speed until it’s fluffy and looks white, 3-5 minutes. (Photo 5)
2. Whip in the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture well between each one and adding a tablespoon of the flour with the last egg to prevent the batter from curdling. (Photo 5)
3. Sift in the rest of the flour and baking powder, followed by browning sauce, molasses, almond and vanilla extract, spices, and nutmeg. (Photos 7-8)

1. Mix the batter and then add the fruit puree and lime zest. Stirring until thoroughly combined, then dump the batter into a greased cake pan. (Photos 9-12)

1. Bake at 325°F (160°C) until a cake tester comes out clean, about 2 hours.
2. Glaze. Melt ½ cup (113g) butter and ½ cup (107g) light brown sugar until it bubbles and begins to brown. Pour in a ¼ cup (60ml) of red wine, a ¼ cup (60ml) of rum, and 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract. Light the alcohol with a match if desired. (Photos 13-14)
3. Poke holes in the freshly baked black cake, pour the glaze over the top, and let it soak in. Let it cool, and enjoy. (Photos 15-16)

Recipe Notes

• Remember to add alcohol as needed so the fruit remains completely submerged in the liquid.
• Cut the fruit into small chunks, so the rum and wine absorb evenly.
• Poke the cake and brush extra rum and wine when it’s still hot, so the alcohol soaks in better. You can cover it with plastic wrap right after brushing it to seal in the moisture.
• You can purchase browning sauce in most Caribbean and international markets, and even Walmart. Or you can make your own with my browning sauce recipe.
• Feel free to vary the amounts and types of dried fruits and spices depending on your preference. I played around with 1-2 pounds of dried fruits for this recipe. One pound of fruit was slightly on the dry side, so I prefer 1½-2 pounds.

Make-Ahead Instructions

You can soak the fruit in rum and wine for anywhere from a week to a month, letting all the flavors meld. Hardcore Caribbean black cake makers soak the fruit for up to a year!

You can also bake the cake up to three months (or longer) beforehand. After it cools, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Store in a cool, dry place while the flavors continue to develop. Make sure it has enough alcohol to keep it safe. It also freezes well if you want to stop the fermentation.

What to Serve With Caribbean Black Cake

A traditional Caribbean Christmas dinner includes curry goat and rice and peas. You might enjoy a side of boiled or fried dumplings. Of course, other traditions are rubbing off, so a glazed ham finds its place on many Caribbean menus.

More Rum-Spiked Dessert Recipes to Try

By Imma

Watch How to Make It

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This blog post was originally published in March 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.