Grenadian Black Cake

Name: Grenadian Black Cake
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: Grenadian
Ingredients: 500g mixed dried fruits (raisins, currants, prunes, cherries); 2 cups dark rum; 1 cup red wine; 2 cups flour; 2 cups brown sugar; 250g butter; 6 eggs; 2 tsp baking powder; 2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg; 2 tsp cinnamon; 1 tsp mixed spice; 2 tbsp browning sauce; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tsp almond extract

Black Cake (BLACK CAKE)

Rum-Soaked Dried Fruit Cake

⏱ Prep Time 3 months soaking + 3 hours

📈 Difficulty Hard

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 392 kcal

An intensely rich, dark fruitcake made with fruits soaked in rum and wine for months, spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon, the crown jewel of Christmas celebrations.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 4.0g

Carbs 58.0g

Fat 16.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

vegetarian

Allergen Warnings

⚠ gluten ⚠ dairy ⚠ eggs ⚠ alcohol

Equipment Needed

large mixing bowl 10-inch cake tin parchment paper food processor

Presentation Guide

Vessel: cake stand with doily

Garnishes: glacé cherries, almond flakes

Accompaniments: sorrel drink, rum punch

Ingredients

500g mixed dried fruits (raisins, currants, prunes, cherries)
2 cups dark rum
1 cup red wine
2 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
250g butter
6 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
2 tbsp browning sauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract

Instructions

1
Soak dried fruits in rum and wine for at least two weeks, ideally three months. Blend into a coarse paste when ready.
2
Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
3
Fold in flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and mixed spice.
4
Add the blended fruit mixture, browning sauce, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix until batter is very dark.
5
Pour into a lined and greased ten-inch tin. Bake at 150 degrees Celsius for two to two and a half hours until firm.
6
Let cool completely, then feed the cake with additional rum every week until Christmas. Wrap tightly in foil.

💡

Did You Know?

Some Grenadian families begin soaking their black cake fruits in January for the following December, believing that a full year of soaking produces the finest cake.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

large mixing bowl
10-inch cake tin
parchment paper
food processor

Garnishing

glacé cherries, almond flakes

Accompaniments

sorrel drink, rum punch

The Story Behind Grenadian Black Cake

Black cake is the Caribbean adaptation of British Christmas pudding, transformed by rum, tropical fruits, and island spices into something entirely its own. In Grenada, black cake is an essential part of Christmas, weddings, and important celebrations. Families guard their recipes jealously, and the quality of a woman's black cake was historically considered a measure of her culinary skill. The months-long fruit soaking process makes this a labour of love.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed christmas and weddings 📜 Origins: British colonial Christmas tradition

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