Caribbean Black Cake Recipe
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Caribbean Fruit Cake (Black Cake) for Special Occasions
Caribbean Fruit Cake, also known as Black Cake, is a rich and flavourful cake often made for weddings, Christmas, and other special occasions. With a mixture of dried fruits, alcohol, and warming spices, this cake offers a deep, intense flavour. It’s traditionally prepared in advance to allow the flavours to develop, making it perfect for those who love a flavourful, moist cake. Whether you’re celebrating a wedding or enjoying a Christmas feast, this cake is a true crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients for a Rich Caribbean Fruit Cake
To make this traditional cake, you will need a variety of dried fruits, including prunes, raisins, currants, sultanas (or a mix with dried cranberries), mixed peel, and glacé cherries. You’ll also need butter, eggs, self-rising flour, ground almonds (optional), and soft brown sugar. The addition of red wine (e.g., Port), rum, and brandy adds richness to the cake, while vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and browning give it that distinctive dark colour and flavour.
Preparing the Fruit Mixture
Start by placing the dried fruits into a food processor and chopping them into small pieces. The fruits may become difficult to process, so adding 2 oz. of wine will help the mixture rotate more smoothly. Once chopped, transfer the fruit mixture to a large bowl and add the remaining wine, cinnamon, rum, and brandy. Mix gently but thoroughly until everything is well combined. Traditionally, this mixture is placed in an airtight glass bottle and left to soak for three weeks, although this step can be optional if you’re in a hurry.
Creaming the Butter and Sugar
Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F). In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until the sugar is nearly dissolved. To test if the mixture is ready, rub a bit between your index finger and thumb. If it’s relatively smooth but still a little grainy, it’s time to add the eggs, one by one. Beat well after each addition. If the batter starts curdling towards the end, adding a little flour will help prevent this from happening.
Adding Flour and Fruit Mixture
Gradually add the remaining flour to the batter, a little at a time. Once the flour has been fully incorporated, add the fruit mixture and the browning. Mix thoroughly until the batter is evenly colored and dark brown in appearance. This ensures that the fruit and alcohol flavors are evenly distributed throughout the cake.
Preparing the Cake Pan
Grease a 9″ x 3 ¾” cake pan with butter. Place the pan on a large piece of greaseproof paper and use a pencil or pen to draw a circle matching the size of the pan’s bottom. Cut out the circle and place it at the bottom of the pan, with the ink side facing down. Measure the height of the pan and cut a long strip of greaseproof paper to wrap around the inside. Make sure the paper is properly stuck, and trim off any excess.
Baking the Cake
Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan, using a spatula to level the top. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 2 hours. The cake will be ready when it’s firm and slightly cracked on top. If you’re pouring alcohol over the cake, do so at this stage when the cracks are still visible. The cracks will close as the cake cools.
Cooling and Storing the Cake
Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before removing it. The flavour of the cake will continue to develop and intensify as it ages. It is recommended to bake the cake at least a week before you plan to serve it for the best flavour. However, it will still taste fantastic if served before.
Additional Tips
1. Although this cake contains alcohol, most of it evaporates during baking, leaving behind only the fantastic flavour. For those sharing the cake with children or pregnant women, it’s best to avoid pouring alcohol over the top.
2. The cake can last several months, up to a year, as the alcohol acts as a preservative, keeping the cake moist.
3. If you plan to ice the cake, it’s best not to pour alcohol over the top after baking. The flavour is rich enough without that extra step.
#short For full recipe video click on the ‘how to’ tab in the instructions.
Additional festive recipes:
Caribbean Spiced Sorrel Drink (Trinidad Spiced Sorrel Drink)
https://cleoscooking.com/recipe-items/sourdough-bread-recipe/
Caribbean Black Cake/Fruit Cake Full Video
HI MY NAME SAM I WANTS TO BAKE CAKE FOR MYFAMILY AND IF I WANTS TO BAKE 4 CAKE HOW MUCH FLOUR SUGAR,BUTTER AND EGGS I Need to used, so much for sharing recipe.
Hi Sam,
If you want to bake four cakes for your family, you need to to use 750g of each fruit except mix peel and glace cherries (use 150g mix peel and 375g glace cherries), 3 cups of sugar, 5-6 tbsp browning,
14 eggs, 750g butter, 6 cups self-rising flour, 6 cups liquid (you can decide how much wine, rum or brandy you include in that amount) also triple up on your cinnamon and vanilla extract, etc.
Hi Cleo
I plan on using your recipe to make a wedding cake. The client wishes to freeze the top tier of the cake, and I was wondering if this recipe freezes well?
Hi Shanel,
Apologies for my slow response. I hope the wedding hasn’t already passed? I wouldn’t freeze the cake but it will keep in the fridge for up to a year. The reason is if you freeze it, it may affect the icing once it thaws out.
Hope this helps!
Cleo
Hi Cleo
Thanks for the reply, I just wanted say the cakes turned out lovely very flavourful and not to moist. The cakes were baked for a wedding. Thank you
again for sharing your recipe.
Hi Jenny-Marie, thanks so much for the feedback; glad it came out well! Cleo
Hi,
I am planning on baking this wonderful cake in January next year.
I soaked the dry fruits in sweet red wine + rum yesterday. It is in an air-tight glass jar and I intend on leaving it there for three weeks (it is day 2 today).
The top layer of the dryfruit- alcohol mixture looks dry, but the bottom is still visibly soaking in alcohol.
Should I add more alcohol so that all the dryfruit is covered in alcohol or should I just stick to the recipe, but stir every few days?
Kindly guide me; thank you.
Hi Lalita, if you used the amount of fruit to liquid it should be moist. Maybe you need to just mix the ingredients thoroughly so everything is coated. If the problem persists add a couple more ounces of wine.
Do you make cakes For the public
Hi Angela, Very sorry fir this late response. At the moment I don’t but if that changes will be sure to post on the site.
Hi Cleo, your cakes look lovely and I’d love to try this recipe. How much is a ‘cup’ in metric or imperial measures?
Hi Edith, extremely sorry about the delayed reply but here is a useful site to help with conversions in the future. https://m.convert-me.com/en/convert/cooking/?u=w.gram&v=50
There are others also available through a Google search.
Hi Cleo, your cake look delicious. I will like to make two cakes for the Holiday, I already have may fruits soaking and will like to have the right measurement in pounds for the cake
Hi Dale, thank you. I use specific measurements of alcohol to soak my fruits because it affects the finished product. As you have already soaked your fruits using different measurements, following my recipe may give a different result, depending on how little or how much liquid you have used. Try using one (1) cup of flour for every pound of fruit and 1 tsp baking powder if using plain flour. I cannot say what your result will be, based on the amount of liquid you have used but if you haven’t measured try these suggestions. Also, watch the video and see the texture to ensure that yours is similar. You may need to add more or less flour depending.
Hi there, I’m making this cake for a wedding and the recipe says 5eggs, but I have a print out that says 6 eggs. Which one is the correct egg amount
Hi Sorry for the delayed response. For future reference as eggs come in different sizes, it does not really matter greatly whether you use six or 5 eggs. If the eggs are large five are fine if they are small then six is better. I will add this detail to the recipe.
Hello Chef.
This would be my first time making cake since I was a little girl.
I only have all purpose flour. Do 8 need to by cake/self rising flour? If not how do I substitute with regular flour?
Hi Kiki, Self-rising flour is what I use now but originally I used all-purpose flour with baking powder in the Caribbean. For this recipe, you will need two teaspoons of baking powder, if you are using all-purpose flour. If you have used the all-purpose flour for making cakes before, it should be fine. Note: All-purpose flour is not the same as plain flour, I know from experience. However, it all depends on where you are in the world. I hope this response has helped.
Hi Kiki, I have found another Cornmeal/ Corn Flour that works really well for Pastelles. It is PAN and comes in an orange packet. It is available in some Asian shops as well as online. Have a very Merry Christmas.
Hi chef Cleo what is the preheat or heating degrees for the oven when baking the cakes? I am not sure as it’s not written thanks. Blessings
Hi Rae Rae,
The recipe does mention that you need to preheat the oven to 150 degrees Centigrade or 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Enjoy!
Cleo
Jan 3/3/2021/4.30 pm Hi chef Cleo I’m going to bake wedding cake for 100 guest how many cakes should I make for the 100 guests
Hi Ms Janet,
I think 4 cakes should be enough for 100 guests, but you could make 5 in order to have some left over for yourself if you need to.
Enjoy!
Cleo
Hi Cleo thank you for your early reply now I know exactly where to go from here when I’m ready to make my cake for the wedding I’ll let you know exactly how it turn thanks again
This is the firs time I came across this site. Looking forward to trying this recipe.
Hi Cleo! I was wondering about the fruits in the food processor. What consistency should the fruit be after using it, like a paste or more chunky? I’m very excited to make this cake. I had one at my wedding in Jamaica 16 years ago and I will never forget it.
Hi Kelley
Thanks for your question. The fruits will be in-between a slightly chunky yet thick paste. Watch the video attached to the cake recipe to see more details.
I also have a question about the glacé cherries. I forgot to buy them. I want to get everything right. It seems like they would be important but just in case, is there a good substitute? I do have plenty of the mixed peel which i made myself for this recipe. Thanks again!!
Hi Kelley
The glace` cherries are not a must but they do add a bit of unique flavour to the cake. You can substitute with cranberries or use a mixture of some other fruits to make up the amount in the recipe. Do not add too much mixed peel to the cake as it can cause a bitter taste depending on what you used to make the mixed peel. If your mixed peel is sweet and was not made using citrus peel, feel free to substitute a bit extra for the glace` cherries. Hope this helps. Enjoy
Thank you so much for the help! I did look again for your cherries and couldn’t find the exact thing so I got dried cranberries fused with cherry juice 🤷🏼♀️
Hi, I need to make a wedding cake, around 4″ to 5″ high. Should I bake one cake by x5 the recipe in which case, how do I know when it’s baked inside? Or, should I bake lots of cakes and stack them, like a sponge cake – in which case, what do I use as a filling? Thank you
Hi Pilla,
Each cake made from this recipe will have a height of approximately 2 1/2 inches if the same size pan is used. Therefore, you will only need to double the recipe to get a 5″ high cake. Caribbean fruit cakes and fruit cakes in general are heavier than sponges. You may need to use dowels to stack them in order to avoid collapsing the bottom layer.
Hope you find this response helpful.
Happy baking
Cleo
This is nearly the same as my mums recipe although mum would use more spices and also a tsp of baking powder with the self raising flour. At last a cake with a spongy texture not the soggy pudding like texture which most West Indians on social media seem to make. Well done Cleo
Hi, I’m so glad you like it! Enjoy!
Cleo
HI cleo if I want to package the cakes in a one pound container how much cake would this recipe give me, thank you
Hi Kimberly, this recipe is based on half-pound measurements. If you want one pound, you need to double everything in the recipe. Depending on the size of your pans, you will get either two large cakes or three medium cakes by doubling the recipe. Hope this helps!
Many thanks,
Cleo
Hi Cleo!
I made this recipe for some family recently and they loved it So thank you!!. I have 2 questions:
If I wanted to make this recipe but with a smaller cake, maybe like one 6 in. cake, how would I go about changing the measurements for the cake- would I just cut the measurements in half?
And if I wanted to make another 10 in. cake with half the amount of fruit- do you think it would still have a good amount of moisture or would I have to add any additional ingredients?
Thank you again!
Hi Tamia,
I’m glad your family enjoyed the cake!
Please see my answers to your questions:
1. You should just be able to cut the measurements in half in order to make a smaller cake.
2. The recipe which is on the site has been tried and tested – I haven’t tried it with less fruit, however from my experience the texture will be lighter but I don’t believe you will need any extra ingredients – be sure to keep the alcohol/moisture content the same.
I hope this helps!
Cleo