Black cake!!! Where do I start! I always knew what time of the year it was simply because I will see a huge jar of fruits soaking at my grandmother house. I knew Christmas time was soon approaching!!! I love all the features in this cake. Firstly this recipe is very simple and has easy steps. Secondly I am a lover of fruits so this is rite up my alley. The dark rum and cheery brandy really does a wonderful thing for this cake. When a Trini “Parangs” around this time of the year this is surly one of the many things offered to you. It is a staple for a “GOOD TRINI CHRISTMAS” I am so happy to bring you this recipe I hope you enjoy it .Happy baking and seasons greetings.

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Fruit mix

• 1 cup Cuisine Mixed Peel
• 1 cup Cuisine Pitted Prunes
• 1 cup Cuisine Raisins
• 1 cup Cuisine Currants
• 1 cup Cuisine Mixed Cherries
• ½ Bottle Fernandez Cherry Brandy
• ½ Bottle Fernandez Black Label Rum

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Cake mix

• 1 cup Unsalted butter
• 1 cup Cuisine brown sugar
• 4 Eggs
• 1 tbsp Lemon essence
• 1 tbsp Almond essence
• 1 tbsp Vanilla essence
• 3 ½ cups Cuisine all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Grated nutmeg
• 2 tsp Angostura aromatic bitters

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Browning

• 3 cups Cuisine brown sugar
• 1/2 cups Boiling hot water

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Method

• Preheat the oven to 240 degrees. Grease and flour 9” pan
• Cut all the fruits and place in a large bowl. Pour cherry brandy and rum and set aside so that it can soak up the alcohol. Note: (Any dried fruits or preserved fruits can be used here. The alcohol amount can increase or decrease according to your alcohol intolerance. Soak for a minimum of one day if you are in a rush!)
• Place a pot to heat on medium then add the sugar and leave until it has caramelized. Add hot water gradually. Let this mixture cool. Note : ( please see video for colour and consistency also browning from the grocery can be use )
• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then add eggs one at a time. Followed by another three minutes mixing.
• Sift all dry ingredients, mix well and set aside.
• In a blender puree all the fruits until chunky and set aside
• To the creamed mixture add 1/3 of all the dry ingredients, browning, bitters and the essence. Continue this step until all the ingredients have been used and well combined.
• Pour mixture into pan and bake for 3 hours at 240 degrees.
• After its finished baking soak the cake with equal parts rum and cheery brandy. Note: (add as much rum or as littler rum as you would like. The more rum the denser the cake will be)
• Serve and enjoy.