Jamaican Black Cake
A rich, moist fruit cake with warm spices, dark rum, and red wine, baked slowly for a tender crumb.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened, plus more for greasing, 113g
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 200g
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract 30ml
- 5 tbsp browning sauce 75ml
- 2 tbsp unsulphured molasses 30ml
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 210g
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups soaked mixed dried fruit (see note) about 1 lb or 450g
- 1/4 cup Jamaican dark rum 60ml
- 1/4 cup sweet red wine plus 1/2 cup (120ml) for soaking, 60ml
- Juice and zest from 1/2 lime
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Place a separate, larger pan filled with about 1 inch of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the softened butter and dark brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs with a hand mixer or whisk until they are pale yellow and foamy, about 3-4 minutes. Gently mix in the vanilla, browning sauce, molasses, and lime juice.
- Pour the egg mixture into the creamed butter and sugar. Fold together with a spatula until just combined.
- In a blender or food processor, combine the soaked dried fruit, 1/4 cup (60ml) dark rum, and 1/4 cup (60ml) red wine. Pulse until it forms a coarse puree.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, baking powder, salt, and lime zest.
- Fold the fruit puree into the wet batter. Then, add the dry ingredients in two batches, folding gently after each addition until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Bake on the middle rack, above the pan of water, for approximately 2 hours. The cake is done when a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. While the cake is still hot in the pan, slowly pour the remaining 1/2 cup (120ml) of red wine over the entire surface. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before removing.
Notes
For the fruit, use a mix of raisins, currants, cherries, and prunes. For best results, soak them in rum and wine for at least 24 hours. For a quick version, gently simmer the fruit with the alcohol for 15 minutes, then cool completely before using.
Browning sauce is essential for the cake's dark color and can be found at Caribbean grocery stores or online.
The water bath is crucial for creating a moist, steamy oven environment. This prevents the cake from drying out during the long baking time.
For an even richer flavor, you can continue to 'feed' the cake after it has cooled. Use a skewer to poke holes in the top and brush with a mixture of rum and wine every few days.