Unlike lighter fruitcakes, Jamaican Black Cake is known for its deep, almost black color, its moist, dense texture, and its potent blend of rum and wine-soaked fruits. This complex and flavorful cake is a testament to the art of slow baking and the magic that happens when time and carefully selected ingredients come together.
Ingredients
Fruit Blend
- 9 oz dried plums
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup dried cherries
- ½ cup currants
- 1½ cup port wine
- 1½ cup dark rum
Black Cake
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1¼ cups dark brown sugar
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 medium lime, zest and juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon orange peel
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons of Jamaican browning sauce
- 2 tablespoons of molasses
Directions:
Fruit Blend
Combine 9 oz dried prunes, 1 cup raisins, 1 cup golden raisins, 1 cup dried cherries, 1/2 cup currants, 1 1/2 cups port wine, and 1 1/2 cups dark rum in a bowl or container, ensuring the fruit is fully submerged. Add more wine or rum if necessary.
Cover and soak the fruit for 7 days, or up to several months, adding more wine and rum as needed to keep the fruit covered.
For a quicker method, combine the fruit, port, and rum in a saucepan. Bring to a low boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool before blending.
Black Cake
Preheat oven to 250°F. Blend the fruit mixture until smooth and set aside. Line the bottom of a 10-inch springform or cake pan with parchment paper and grease the bottom and sides.
In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup softened butter and 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add 5 large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Adding 1 tablespoon of flour with the eggs can help prevent curdling.
Add the zest and juice of 1 medium lime, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon orange extract. Mix to combine. Then, mix in 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1 tablespoon orange peel, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add 2 cups all-purpose flour and mix until the batter is smooth.
Fold in 2 tablespoons browning sauce, 2 tablespoons molasses, and the blended fruit until evenly distributed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Baking and Cooling
Bake at 250°F for 2 hours. Begin testing for doneness with a toothpick or cake tester. When a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top of the cake springs back when lightly touched, remove the cake from the oven. Baking time may take up to 2 1/2 hours depending on the pan size.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing it from the pan. Soak the cooled cake with an additional 1/4 cup of port wine (or a rum/wine combination) overnight.