Caribbean Black Fruitcake Recipe
Also known as wedding cake, Christmas cake, and bolo pretu, among other monikers, this cake has roots throughout the Caribbean and is usually reserved for the celebratory events it’s named for. Not unlike the more common dark fruitcakes, it’s packed with dried fruits, nuts, and warm spices, but the molasses found in stateside cakes is swapped for burnt sugar (see “What to buy”), resulting in a slightly bitter yet rich, chocolaty flavor. This cake has endless ingredient variations, but one is universal—rum, and lots of it!
What to buy: Burnt sugar is the crucial ingredient, giving this cake its deep black color and unique flavor, which cannot successfully be mimicked by dark corn syrup or molasses, not even blackstrap. Although burnt sugar can be made at home, the process can be imprecise. We like Blue Mountain Country for its moderate sweetness and chocolate notes.
Use our recipe for Candied Grapefruit Zest and swap out the grapefruit peel for orange. A homemade candied citrus yields the best results, but if you’d rather purchase some, use a high-quality candied zest, which usually appears in the fall at gourmet or specialty stores. Don’t even think about using the scary, Day-Glo fruit found in tubs—it tastes as horrible as it... read more
For the fruit:
- 3/4 cups whole raw almonds, coarsely chopped
- 1 3/4 cups dried cherries, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup prunes, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups dark rum, such as Myers's, plus 4 tablespoons for brushing
- 1 1/2 cups ruby port
- 1 1/4 cups dried apricots, coarsely chopped
- 3/4 cup candied orange peel, coarsely chopped
For the cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup burnt sugar
- 1 cup whole raw pistachios, coarsely chopped
- 3/4 cup candied ginger, coarsely chopped
- For the fruit:
- Combine all ingredients in a 3-quart container with a tightfitting lid and mix well. Cover tightly and store in a dark, cool, dry place for 1 week.
- For the cake:
- Heat the oven to 300°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with butter; set aside.
- Combine flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg in a large bowl and whisk to aerate and break up any lumps. Set aside.
- Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and beat on medium speed until pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and return the mixer to medium speed. Add eggs one at a time, letting each mix in fully before adding the next. Add vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and return the mixer to low speed.
- Add flour mixture, macerated fruit and nuts along with any unabsorbed liquid, and burnt sugar, and mix until just combined. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans (the pans will be completely full).
- Bake until a cake tester comes out clean (the cake centers will be very moist), about 2 hours.
- Let cool 30 minutes in the pans on a wire rack. Turn cakes out onto the rack, and brush each with 2 tablespoons dark rum. Cool completely before slicing and eating, or aging.
- To age, store each cooled cake in a resealable plastic bag at room temperature for up to 2 months. A dark cupboard or pantry is ideal, but do not refrigerate, as the moisture level will change the texture.
Member recipes are not tested by the CHOW food team.
Cake will last up to 2 months-- are you kidding? It was doing good to last 2 weeks at my house when I made it. I did add the candied ginger to mine and it was yummy
Fair warning: I haven't tried this hack in the kitchen yet. But I think the candied ginger will punch it up.
Also, I've tweaked the types of nuts and fruits involved. I hate raisins/currants in baked goods (don't ask why) so I'm thinking apricots and/or Craisins would work well as substitutes. And why go all-almond when you can add pistachios as well?