Black Cake Recipe – Nevis Christmas Tradition
It’s the season for black cake, also known as Christmas cake, fruit cake, or dark cake. Regardless of what you call it, most will agree that Christmas in many parts of the Caribbean and its diaspora feels incomplete without this iconic British-inspired treat.
Black cake, a staple of the cuisine in English-speaking Caribbean countries such as Jamaica, Trinidad, and Guyana, traces its roots back to the British Christmas plum pudding, which was introduced to the region during British colonial rule.
Black Cake Recipe – Fruit Mixture
- 1 cup figs
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup dried bing cherries
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 2 cups tawny port wine
- 1 cup over-proof rum
Black Cake Recipe – Cake Ingredients
- 1/2 lb butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup A/P flour
- 1 cup unseasoned panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (#ad)
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 lime, freshly squeezed
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp molasses
Black Cake Recipe – Baking Instructions
- Add the fruit and booze to an a large mason jar. Seal tightly and let marinade for at least a week or two, but up to a year.
- Preheat the oven to 250° (F) 120° (C) or Gas Mark 1/2 . Grease a 10″ x 3″ round baking pan (#ad) and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Blend the fruit mixture until basically smooth, think of a Pâté.
- Mix the flour, breadcrumbs, spices, and baking powder and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar until combined and fluffy, about 3.5 minutes on medium. Then, add the eggs, vanilla, and freshly squeezed lime juice and mix until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients. 1/3 at a time, with your mixer on slow until just combined.
- Pour in the molasses and the blended fruit mixture. Fold together until combined. Your mixture should be thick and a very deep brown.
- Cook in the cake pan for 2 and 1/2 hours.
- Allow the cake to cool slightly. While still warm, pour an additional 1/4-1/2 cup of tawny port wine on the cake. Leave covered overnight to allow the port to infuse the cake.
*Garnish with powdered sugar and or chopped maraschino cherries if so desired.
Serving suggestion:
Serve with either a espresso coffee or a tot of Hammond Rum aka Bush Rum…aka illegal moonshine…LOL. Seriously though, a good dark rum will suffice.
What Is The Difference Between Ruby and Tawny Port Wine
The difference is mainly the color and flavor. For color, it is easy: Ruby ports are more ruby red in color and Tawny ports have a tawny brown color. As for flavor, both have a sweet taste. However, Ruby ports have more of a fruity, berry flavor and Tawny ports tend towards a nutty, caramel flavor.