Caribbean Black Fruitcake
This is a rich and dark fruitcake which is common in the Caribbean. Compared to other cakes, it has quite a lot of alcohol and is made by soaking fruits in alcohol for any time from 1 week to up to a year. It is moist, dark in color and has a slight burnt sugar taste which comes from the use of Burnt Sugar Syrup. It also has spices like cloves, cinnamon and grated nutmeg. If you are looking for an interesting twist on a fruitcake, look no further. This is an adaptation of a recipe by chow.com.
INGREDIENTS
For Pre-Soaking:
(1) 265 Grams Almonds (1-3/4 Cups)
(2) 255 Grams Dried Cherries (1-3/4 Cups)
(3) 195 Grams Currants (1-1/4 Cups)
(4) 250 Grams Raisins (1-1/2 Cups)
(5) 300 Grams Prunes (1-3/4 Cups)
(6) 150 Grams Candid Mixed Peel (3/4 Cups)
(7) 1-1/2 Cups Dark Rum
(8) 1-1/2 Cups Port Wine
For Cake:
(1) 452 Grams Unsalted Butter (2 Cups)
(2) 495 Grams Light Brown Sugar (2-1/4 Cups)
(3) 6 Large Eggs
(4) 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
(5) 3/4 Cup Burnt Sugar Syrup (See Note 1)
(6) 390 Grams All Purpose Flour (3 Cups)
(7) 2 Teaspoons Salt
(8) 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
(9) 1/2 Teaspoon Grated Nutmeg
(10) 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
(11) 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
NOTES:
(1) Burnt Sugar Syrup is also known as browning and can be found in some specialty stores. You can however make your own at home. I have a recipe for this here.
PROCEDURE:
Makes Two Cakes.
Pre-Soaking:
(1) Chop the almonds roughly. Also chop the fruits into smaller bits if they are whole.
(2) Place all the dried ingredients in a bowl and pour in the alcohol. Mix well to soak fruits and nuts in the alcohol.
(3) Place the mixture in an air tight container and seal.
(4) Keep container in a cool dark place. Do not keep it in the fridge. Stir mixture every once in a while so fruits and nuts are evenly coated with the alcohol.
(5) Fruits and nuts should be soaked for at least a week. It can be soaked for up to a year. The longer you soak them, the more they will soak up the alcohol.
Fruits after soaking for 2 weeks
Cake:
(1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
(2) Grease and line the sides and bottoms of two 8 inch spring form cake pans. Pans with detachable bottoms can also be used.
TIP: Parchment paper should extend at least an inch above the cake pan. This will prevent the cakes from browning too much.
(3) In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder salt and spices together.
(4) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. About 5 minutes.
(5) Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Add the vanilla extract and beat in.
(6) Add flour mixture to batter and mix to combine.
(7) Next, add the soaked fruits along with whatever alcohol is left in the bowl.
(8) Finally add the burnt sugar syrup and mix to combine. Do your self the favor: taste the batter. Its one of the best things you would ever taste.
(9) Divide batter evenly between cake pans and bake in preheated oven for 2-1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
(10) Take cakes out of oven and allow to cool completely before unmolding.
Try this cake with some Irish Cream and Milk Chocolate
This cake does not require aging. The taste and texture however improves with age. Learn how to age cakes here.
For other Christmas Fruitcake recipes like my Citrus Fruitcake, Creole Fruitcake, Chocolate Fruitcake, et cetera, click on this link.
Terry Adido is passionate about showing people how easy it is to recreate restaurant quality meals in the comfort of their kitchens. With a style of cooking he refers to as Afro-European Fusion, his meals are influenced greatly by French and Italian Cuisine with a West African twist. If you love good food, you are in for the ride of your life.
I luv dis nd gonna try it out.
Awesome!
Tanks terry.bt is there substitute for the port wine.
I believe you can increase the quantity of the rum.
Terry,please marry me now now!!
🙂
Thanks Terry for being an inspiration and building my baking confidence. Am going to add this to my Christmas lunch menu. Can i use brandy for the soaking and how do i store after baking since i intend to bake 2 weeks to Christmas.
hi. yes you can use brandy. it would however not hv the real Caribbean fruit cake taste. it will still taste nice though. to store, please follow my fruit cake aging directions.
Thanks a lot.. Will soak my fruits tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed
You welcome.
Terry you are simply terrific,finally visited ur site today and its amazing how much have learnt.thanks so much for sharing
Thanks Yomi. I am glad to have you here.
wow!wonderful
Thanks
Thanks, terry. I’m going to try this out for Christmas.
You will love it.
And yes, I did and still love it. Planning to make another next weekend!
can you bake this recipe in 3 pans to speed up the baking process
Technically, yes you can. Will I advice that you do so, no I won’t. If reducing quantity per pan, please watch carefully as a shorter baking time will be required. How long the new baking time will be, I cannot say.
hi terry you said the cake does not require aging (adding alcohol once a week), what is the shelf life of this cake and how long can you store before decorating with fondant? are you to wrap it just the same way you wrap the traditional food cake and keep in a cupboard?
I made mine last year September and just finished it last month (March). I aged it for 3 months with alcohol. Stopped applying alcohol at the end of Dec and it was still moist in March. Seal as with any fruitcake.
can i use dried dates instead of candied peels? can i use all dried grapes instead of the prunes etc if i have just grapes available to me…can i just substitute with the same weight as others
Yes you can substitute with whatever dried fruits you have available. Of course, the taste of the cake will depend on the type of fruit you use.
Thankss you are the best
You are welcome.
terrrryyy!!!!
how are you today?
I have come again oooo… what was the height of the cakes.
i am looking to make an 8 inch wide cake that that is at 6 inch tall. 12 inch wide cake that is at least 5 inch high……. and how many times do you think i can multiply this recipe for a 12inch cake
THANKS TERRRY!
Each cake was about 3 inches high. They were baked in 7 inch round pans. You might have to calculate for larger pans as I have never tried baking them in larger pans before.
Thanks terry!!! I think i will just leave d recipe as it is for a the eight inch. And double it pus 1/2 for the 12 inch… Thanks agen
terry!!!! i did my self a favour and tasted the batter after mixing OMGGGGGGG def one of the best things i have ever tasted!!!! almost got a bowl to scoop some out loooool. thanks!!! i baked 6 8 and 10 inch cakes…tnx!!!!
Yeah, the raw batter of this cake is simply out of this world. Almost nothing taste as good.
i made a lot of substitutions i didnt have enuf brown sugar so i added some white sugar, used some cashew nuts, dates etc
terry i cant say enuf it was soo good i even saved some from the wedding, i didnt even use all the soaked fruit
You are welcome. Yeah, when you master the act of baking, you can make substitutions which will still work out great. Thanks for sharing.
even made my own candied orange peel loool ….
thanks alot for all
Cool.
Hi Terry, thanks for this recipe. I’m planning to make this cake in preparation for christmas. I would like to ask if I can use a hand mixer as I don’t have a stand mixer? Which alcohol do you suggest is best to age this cake? Thanks.
Hi. Yes you can. Spiced Rum would work great.
Thanks Terry, finally baked it and its been aging for 2 weeks now. made the mistake of having a taste last week and now i’m hoping i won’t finish it before christmas!!
Good to know. I’m afraid though that it might dry out quickly since you have broken into it.
Really! Thanks for letting me know. Thankfully the recipe made 2 cakes so I still have one intact. Now I have the right excuse to eat up the one I’ve broken into but I’ll try not to 😁😬. Kind regards.
🙂
Made the cake today,super duper moist.But I think I’d reduce the sugar when next I bake it.too sugary for me.But apart from that this cake is d bomb.tnx terry
You are welcome.
Terry please I can’t find a 8inch springform pan to buy. Can I use 9inches? My oven starts from 392 degrees fahrenheit. Help me, I have to bake this cake next week Saturday latest
Hi Mma, a 9 inch pan will also work. All the batter might fit into a single 9 by 3 inch baking pan which will of course affect the baking time. 392 degrees F is 200 degrees C. 300 degrees C is 572 degrees C.
Thank you so much Terry for providing the most comprehensive recipe and methods I’ve come across, I have spent years scouring the internet for the metric measurements and trying to find the recipe for burnt sugar rather than using browning.
I notice you didn’t mince your fruit, is it a preference thing?
You are welcome Cee Leeya. Not mincing my fruits is a preference thing. After aging, they become soft, lose their crunch and blend with the rest of the cake. You have the option of mincing all or part of your fruits if you like.
This seems delicious and your recipe and guidelines are specific and easy to follow. Brandy fruit cakes do not taste as good as rum.
All the best from Kerala, South India. I have shared this with my friends too.
Thanks.
Hi Terry
my oven is too small for two cakes to be baked at one time so can I presume I can half the cake recipe and use only half of the fruit mixture for one cake?
Also could you give me the baking temperature for this cake.
thanks
Yes that’s what you should do. You can also bake it in a large 10″ pan. As para 1 states, 300 degrees.
Thanks Terry this cake is mind blowing even my 6yrs old daughter couldn’t hide her excitement told me am the best, lol.
Planning on soaking my fruit for a year and see the difference.
Once again God bless you, would have sent pictures but couldn’t attach. making it for my 40th birthday. Hoping that i get my decoration right. bye
Awesome! Glad to hear that. I should start soaking my own fruits for Christmas!
Can one soak the fruits in a bpa free container vs glass?
Yes.
Terry tanxs alot for sharing. Tried it and I really can’t explain the taste cos its so heavenly. Using this for a wedding cake next month. God bless you real good.
I’m so glad you love it Uduak. Thanks
Hi Terry I am making this cake for my mum’s birthday soon. Do I have to cover with apricot glaze and marzipan first before covering with fondant please? Thanks for your help always.
Yes Liz.
Thanks Terry,you are the best.
Hi Terry, I have stumbled upon ur blog a few times. Doing a great job! Thanks. My question is I have to make a wedding cake next week end so that gives me less time to soak the fruits. Would it still come out well. Also, can I feed with alcohol immediately after d cake cools down? Many thanks!
While it will still work, that’s not enough time for it to mature. Why not use the Nigerian Wedding Cake recipe instead (Assuming you are in Nigeria). You feed as soon as the cake is completely cool.
Hi Terry. Is it possible to reduce the recipe by half. I’m just starting out and 2 8 inch cakes will be too much for us?
Yes it is possible Uche.
I’ve been making my own version of bourbon fruitcake for a few years, and love to share them with friends. I just made the 2016 batch, and they’re aging now. I have a friend who I think will love your Caribbean Black, and I went out and bought most of the ingredients yesterday. Having a tough time finding currants, though. Do you use real currants, or do you use Zante currants, which seem to be easier to find?
Also, I’ll be making my own candied mixed peel (wish me luck!).
Hi Joe, I use any currants. You should not stress yourself about finding a particular ingredient. You can always make substitutions with raisins or any other dried fruit of your choice. Cool on making you own candied mixed peel. I might take on such a daring task some day in the nearest future. All the best with your cakes. I am baking mine this weekend.
I should have let you know sooner – I did make my own candied peel. Enough, in fact, for two batches of this cake. (The candied peel froze well, until I made the second batch of cakes about a year later.)
Both batches of the cakes turned out well, too. Some of my fruitcake-loving family really liked it – others, not so much. But I love it, and as long as I’m able to bake, it will always be on my shelf, alongside my traditional fruitcake!
I made another batch of candied peel in April and I’m baking my third batch of CB fruitcake today. The fruits and nuts have been soaking about 6 weeks. I am going to add some small chunks of chocolate to one of the cakes – just because!
Hi Terry,I need to bake this cake for next Saturday,how soon can I bake in advance please? Thanks for your help always
Are your fruits soaked already? This cake can be made months in advance. Why are you waiting?
Yes fruits has been soaked for a while. Thanks will bake this weekend then. Have a great day.
DELICIOUS I HAVE MaDE IT AND EVERYONE LOVE IT. THANK YOU. If i were to pour this recipe into one pan, what size would you recommend?
Reply
That’s awesome. I’d suggest a 9 inch round pan with high sides.
Hi Terry, can i use this recipe to make muffins out of them. Would love to give everyone their individual cupcake fruitcake, but i don’t want to have to slice an actual cake.
Hi. I am not sure cupcake sizes are appropriate for fruitcakes like this one.
Hi Terry,I have been making use of your Nigerian wedding cake recipe. How can I edit it to have it baked as moist as this fruit cake.
2. I needed a deeper pan like pans in Nigeria so I went for a spring form cake pan. Hope It can be used to bake regular cake like the Nigeria cake. If yes, does it require parchment papers as used for this fruit cake?
Hi. (1) I am not sure as I have ever tried changing that recipe. I sometimes add 1/2 cup of milk to the cake to add moisture to it.
(2) Spring form pans can be used the same way as regular pans. I always use parchment paper when baking in all pans but it is easier to get your cake out when using a spring form pan.
Tnx so much. I will try dat out too. I sent u pic on Facebook. The Christmas cake was actually baked in a sprigform pan. Really can’t thank u enough. God bless u
Thanks for the good work terry. GOD BLESS AND ENLARGE U. I am actually nee to bakin and a friend of mine told me that instead of soakin d fruits for long u can also boil the fruits in the brandy or alcohol that is to be used, it should be boiled for over 5mins and removed. That the alcohol would still enter the fruit that way.
1.My question is how can u verify this claim and also
2. Hope that wouldnt have any effect on the cake.
Pls any othr person that has heard about this boilin fruits in brandy could still give me your two cents on it. it would be realli appreciated.
Boiling fruits is a fast way of making fruits soft if using for fruitcakes. That’s why we have what is called boiled fruitcakes. They can be boiled in any alcohol or just water depending on what you are going for.
Hi Terry. Pls hope my question is not stupid. I have a wedding cake next weekend. Is it ok if I soak the fruit now and can I use it for the cake. The bride said she want the cake to last but she just called to place the other on sunday night. I saw the nigerian wedding recipe but it seems this is best. Pls reply Terry
You can but you wont get the full flavor of the cake.
I saw somewhere you wrote cover with marzipan. I just want to find out if you can cover this directly in marshmallow fondant after icing with buttercream
I wont use buttercream on a fruitcake. Best bet is marzipan before fondant or just use royal icing.
Terry thanks for replying so fast. I wonder what time u have to reply every mail
Hi Terry, any particular reason you recommend covering a fruitcake with Marzipan before using fondant? How about just covering with fondant? Thank you for this very detailed recipe. I can’t wait to try it.
Thats just the way its done.
Hi Terry, thanks as usual for sharing amazing recipes and important notes.
My question is can the fruit cake be sandwiched /layered to get a good height? Say like 5 inches high? It’s for a wedding cake?
(2)I just have about 2 weeks to age the cake, not sure if I should this recipe or the Nigerian recipe? What will u suggest?
(3) With the amount of alcohol in fruitcakes can children eat them?
Hi Oyin. (1) Yes (2) Nigerian (3) I’d avoid it.
Thanks Terry for the prompt reply.
Can I pray the Nigerian fruitcake recipe with alcohol to keep it moist n preserved. I intend to soak the fruits with alcohol for some days before I finally bake and decorate. I’m a little worried about the Nigerian fruitcake going bad as it doesn’t keep as much as the traditional fruitcake. Please kindly advice. Thanks in advance. God bless you!.
*spray I meant to type.
Honestly I can’t give you a definite answer as weather conditions vary. I would ask bakers in your area what they do.
Nice recipe…. Please Terry, what type of clove are you talking about….. Do you mean ginger powder?
No. Please Google it for picture.
Hi Terry. Can I soak my fruits in Captain Morgan Spiced rum? Do you think it will alter the taste significantly? Thanks
The spice rum taste will be impacted on the fruits. I personally love spiced rum in fruitcakes.