Black Cake
HB-0280 · Hand-built original · Vincentian
Meet Black Cake, the deep, dark, unmistakably festive bake that appears on every celebration table in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Dried fruit steeped for days in rum, warm nutmeg and cinnamon, and a crumb so moist it almost glistens. This is a cake with patience baked into it. Weddings, Christmas, christenings: wherever Vincentians gather, a black cake is quietly waiting to be sliced.
VincentianDessert13 hr1–2 servingsVegetarian
Main ingredient: example
Pairs well with: coffee, vanilla ice cream, fresh berries, whipped cream
Servings:1quantities adjust to match
Ingredients
- 7 oz mixed dried fruit (raisins, dates, and figs), finely chopped
- 8½ Tbsp dark rum, plus extra for brushing
- 3½ oz brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 7 oz plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 3½ oz unsalted butter, softened
Method
- Put the chopped dried fruit in a bowl, pour over the rum, cover, and soak for at least 12 hours, ideally overnight.
- Heat the oven to 320°F. Grease and line a small loaf pan or 7 in round pan. This small batch is scaled for 1 to 2 generous servings as stated; for a fuller cake, double the quantities.
- Pulse the soaked fruit with its rum in a blender or food processor to a thick, coarse paste.
- Beat the butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
- Fold in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, then fold in the fruit paste until evenly combined.
- Scrape into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until dark, firm, and a skewer comes out clean.
- Brush the warm cake with a little extra rum, cool completely, wrap, and rest for at least several hours before slicing.
Total: 13 h
Nutrition not computed — the source recipe data produced an implausible result and is flagged for review.