When it comes to holiday classics, few Trini delicacies are as ubiquitous as traditional Black Cake, known to some as fruit cake. Nothings blesses our homes with better smell that a aroma of your soaked fruits and freshly baked fruit cake. Just remember to temper your excitement before the cakes alcohol content takes hold of you!
Step 1: Soak those fruits!
First things first you'll want to get your fruits soaked, some start a year in advance but you can get started with at least three (3) days of soaking.
In a canister or food safe vessel combine your prunes, raisins, dates, currants, cherries and mixed candied citrus peel with your cherry brandy and rum and leave they mixture in a cool spot, covered, preferably out of direct sunlight, so the fruits can soak up the alcohol and ferment a bit. Intermittently stir your fruits to mechanically help maceration along.
Step 2: Baking Day
Ok, so your fruits are soaked and you're all geared up for baking day. Get started by blending your fruits together until they're chunky. Empty your fruit mixture into a blender or food processor, adding your almonds. Depending not he size of your equipment you may have to do it it multiple batches. While you're bringing things together you can add a bit more cherry brandy to loosen the puree. Be mindful that the texture of your cake depends on how much you process your fruits, so if you like things chunky spend less time blending and pay close attention.
Step 3: Prepare your browning
To get started on your browning, get your water boiling in a kettle or pot. Then put the granulated sugar in heavy pot on medium heat until it has caramelised, dark brown. Immediately switch the heat off the sugar syrup and add the hot water gradually. When you're done, let this mixture cool.
You can now proceed to getting your oven preheated to 275 Degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 4: Get Mixing
Bring the butter and brown sugar together, beating on low to medium speed until the mixture is airy and fluffy. A stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer can both be fantastic to blast through this step. Ensure to intermittently stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Now you can add in your eggs, beating them into the mixture on low speed. With this done, add the lime zest, vanilla extract and Angostura bitters (this year we're trying the angostura cocoa bitters) and continue mixing in for a couple minutes.
Now, transfer your butter mix to a larger mixing bowl and add in your flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Next, gradually stir in the macerated fruit paste and 1/4 cup of the caramelised sugar syrup. This will be a quick thick batter so it may be wise to tackle it in a couple portions using preferably, a stand mixer; you can use a dough-hook attachment to make things easier. Some people like their cake near black while some light it a bit more on the dark brown side, so pay attention to how you add in your caramelised sugar syrup and use this to get your desired colour.
Tip: Sift your flour, cinnamon and baking powder before gradually adding into your mixture, to get a creamy, smooth texture.
Step 5: Baking & Post Soaking
Now that you've completed the preparation of your cake batter, you're all set to get baking. Generously grease your pans to avoid any sticking or burning. Pour your batter out into your baking dishes and set your timer for 2 hours and 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave your cakes in their pans and set aside to cool. While they cool, baste them with the remnants of your fruit and rum puree or even just baste on some rum or whiskey of your choosing for an added kick. Do this until the cake is saturated and no longer soaks up any more liquid.
When cool your cakes are ready to serve! But as every Trini knows, they get a bit better with a couple days ageing.
Trinibagonian Black Cake Ingredients
1 pound pitted prunes
1 pound dark raisins
1/2 pound pitted dates
1 pound dried currants
1 pound dried cherries
8 ounces glacé cherries
4 ounces mixed candied citrus peel
3 cups dark rum, plus more as needed
1 1/2 cups cherry brandy (may substitute Manischewitz Concord grape wine), plus extra for grinding fruit
4 ounces blanched, slivered or sliced almonds
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup boiling water
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for the pans
1 pound dark brown sugar
10 large eggs
Finely grated zest of 2 limes
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon Angostura bitters
1 pound flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Source:
This recipe has been adapted from the “Naparima Girls’ High School Cookbook” (1988).
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