Black Cake (Trinidadian)

Combine the 1 cup dark rum and ½ cup cherry brandy in a large jar. Add the 1 cup prunes, 1 cup raisins, 1 cup currants, ½ cup mixed peel, and ½ cup glacé cherries. Seal and macerate for at least 1 week — ideally 4 to 8 weeks — in a cool, dark place, shaking the jar every few days.

When ready to bake, drain the macerated fruit and reserve the soaking liquid. Transfer the fruit to a blender or food processor and pulse to a coarse, jammy paste — not completely smooth. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan, line the bottom and sides with two layers of parchment paper, and grease the parchment.

Beat the 1 cup softened butter and 1 cup dark brown sugar together with a hand or stand mixer on medium-high speed for 4 to 5 minutes until pale and fluffy.

Add the 4 large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter may look slightly curdled — that is fine.

Mix in the ½ cup browning sauce, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp almond extract, and 2 tbsp lime zest until fully incorporated.

Whisk together the 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp mixed spice, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, and ¼ tsp ground nutmeg in a separate bowl.

Fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture in two additions, stirring gently until just combined — do not overmix.

Fold in the blended fruit paste until evenly distributed throughout the batter. The batter will be thick and very dark.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Wrap the outside of the pan with a double layer of brown paper or newspaper and secure with kitchen twine — this insulates the cake and prevents the edges from overbaking.

Bake at 300°F for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil after the first hour.

Remove from the oven and immediately prick the top all over with a skewer. Spoon 3 to 4 tbsp of the reserved soaking liquid over the hot cake and let it absorb.

Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once cool, remove from the pan, peel off the parchment, and wrap tightly in cheesecloth soaked in dark rum.

Wrap the cheesecloth-covered cake in plastic wrap, then foil. Store in an airtight tin. Feed with an additional 2 to 3 tbsp dark rum every week for up to 4 weeks before serving — the flavor deepens significantly with time.