TRINIDAD BLACK CAKE ( CHRISTMAS FRUIT RUM CAKE)

TRINIDAD BLACK CAKE RECIPE

 

This recipe makes 2 cakes dense and moist

Cake:

1 lb unsalted butter
1 lb sugar
8 eggs
1 tsp lemon essence (extract)
2 tsp lime rind (zested)
2 tsp almond essence
2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp mixed essence( if you can find it in the U.S. if not don't worry)
 1 lb all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

Fruit Base:

1 lb pitted prunes
1 lb raisins
1 lb currants

1 container candied cherries

1 container mixed peel
 1 bottle cherry brandy( cherry brandy in the U.S. will not be red its ok!)I bought mine in Trinidad
1 bottle rum
2 tbsp Angostura bitters

                                                     

you can see in my picture how big my glass jar of puree fruits was

Browning:

1 lb brown sugar
1/2 cup boiling hot water

 

Method:

ONE TO THREE MONTHS BEFORE OR EVEN ONE YEAR!!!

 chop up all the fruits for the fruit base. Place in a large bowl, pour in Angostura bitters, cherry brandy and rum) MY RECIPE MAKES TWO BIG CONTAINERS OF PUREE FRUIT AND I STORE IT IN GLASS BALL JARS FOR MONTHS . MORE ALCHOL!! LOL! I blend this in increments in a food processer or a blender,

 

 

Prepare Browning:

Burn sugar until caramelized, add hot water gradually. Mix well and leave to cool. OR YOU CAN BUY PREMADE BROWNING at a local Caribbean grocery store 1 bottle will do!

1. Preheat oven to 250F yes 250 this is cooked slow and long its a very moist cake
2. Cream the butter and sugar.
3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing to incorporate
4. Add lemon essence, lemon zest, almond essence and vanilla
5. Mix and sift flour, baking powder, mixed spice and nutmeg.
6. Gradually add sifted ingredients to creamed mixture
7. Mix in fruit base puree and ‘browning’
8. Pour batter into greased tins that have been doubly lined with brown paper or parchment paper
9. Bake for 3-4 hours
10. Once removed from the oven soak the tops with equal portions of the remaining bottle of rum.

You can store this for months if properly sealed in Tupperware or glass because the alchol content serves as a preservative and the longer kept the more alchol flavor!!!!

I WILL ADD THE RECIPES FOR THE PASTELLES YOU SEE IN THE TOP PIC WITH THE CAKE CLOSER TO CHRISTMAS TIME! THANK YOU AND ENJOY!