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Trinidad Black Cake

Substitutions for a gluten-free alternative are included. For those who avoid alcohol for religious or personal reasons, soaking can be done using grape or apple juice! Obviously a shorter soaking time will be used and the mixture should stay refrigerated.
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Ingredients
  

  • Cake:
  • 1 lb unsalted butter
  • 1 lb sugar
  • 8 eggs
  • 1 tsp lemon essence
  • 2 tsp lime rind zested
  • 2 tsp almond essence
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 lb all-purpose flour
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp mixed spice
  • ½ tsp grated nutmeg
  • Fruit Base:
  • 1 lb pitted prunes
  • 1 lb raisins
  • 1 lb currants
  • 1 bottle cherry brandy
  • 1 bottle rum and/or Bailey's
  • 2 tbsp Angostura bitters
  • Browning:
  • 1 lb brown sugar
  • ½ cup boiling hot water
  • Have on Hand:
  • 1 more bottle of rum

Instructions
 

  • Three to Five Days Before:
  • Up to 5 days before you make the cake, chop up all the fruits for the fruit base. Place in a large bowl, pour in Angostura bitters, cherry brandy and rum (I use Bailey's when I have extra $$$ and it really makes it extra special :)). Leave in a cool corner, covered, to soak up the liquor. As I said 3-5 days before is the best option, 24 hours minimum if you must be 'so last-minute'!
  • On the Day Of:
  • Blend Fruit Base:
  • I pour the soaked fruit and juices into a blender and blend until thick and still a bit chunky (like tomato sauce). Note: If you have been macerating your fruit for a minimum of a month in advance you can skip this step 🙂
  • Prepare Browning:
  • Burn sugar until caramelized, add hot water gradually. Mix well and leave to cool.
  • Please be extra careful at this stage as a 'browning' burn is NOT a fun thing!
  • Once that is done...
  • Remaining Steps:
  • Preheat oven to 250F (no that's not a typo)
  • Cream the butter and sugar.
  • Add eggs one at a time, mixing to incorporate
  • Add lemon essence, lemon zest, almond essence and vanilla
  • Mix and sift flour, baking powder, mixed spice and nutmeg.
  • Gradually add sifted ingredients to creamed mixture
  • Mix in fruit base puree and 'browning'
  • Pour batter into greased tins that have been doubly lined with brown paper or parchment paper
  • Bake for 3 hours
  • Once removed from the oven soak the tops with equal portions of the remaining bottle of rum. Don't be surprised if the top of the cake starts to look pale and 'weird'. Believe me, after several hours, and definitely by the next day all that alcohol will be absorbed and you will finally understand how this cake got its name! 😀