Trinidad Black Cake A Hilarious Tasty Rummy Lump Of A Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Make the soaked spiced dried fruit: In a medium saucepan, combine the raisins, currants, prunes, cherries, cherry brandy, rum, cinnamon stick, and star anise. Cook over medium heat until just boiling, then remove from the heat and let steep for 1-2 hours.
• About 20 minutes before making the cake batter, make the burnt sugar syrup: Add the sugar to a small nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Let the sugar deeply caramelize, turning almost black and smoking a bit. Reduce the heat to low and carefully pour in the water (it will steam) and stir vigorously to incorporate. Let the syrup remain in saucepan while it cools, about 15 mins. If it hardens too much before using, add a little more water and stir over low heat.
• Remove the cinnamon stick and star anise from the soaked fruit mixture. Transfer to a food processor, add the candied citrus peel, and pulse into a chunky paste. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Grease 2 8-inch or 1 10-inch (25 cm) round cake pans.
• Make the cake batter: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar with an electric hand mixer. Once light and fluffy, beat in the eggs, 1 at a time.
• With the mixer running, add ⅓ of the flour mixture then ½ of the fruit paste, then another ⅓ of the flour. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the remaining fruit paste and flour.
• Add the burnt sugar syrup, vanilla, bitters, and sliced almonds. Fold quickly to incorporate so the syrup doesn't harden.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan(s).
• Bake for 1 hour, then reduce the oven temperature to 250˚F (120˚C), and bake for 45 minutes more, until the cake is dark in color and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• While the cake is baking, make the soaking liquid: In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine the rum, cherry brandy, and sherry.
• Let the cakes to cool for 5 minutes, then carefully run a knife around the edges of the pans. Slowly pour the soaking liquid over each of the cakes, a little at a time, allowing it to soak in. (Reserve about ¼ cup for serving) Let the cakes cool completely in the pans.
• You can serve the cake immediately, but the flavor improves with time. Wrap the cooled cakes in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 months. Pour ½ cup of rum over the cake every 7 days to keep moist while storing.
• Brush with more of the soaking liquid before slicing and serving.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Note: I usually end up using the better part of a whole bottle of rum by the time this cake is done.
• Note: any mixture of dried fruits would probably work-- you just want between 4 1/2- 5 1/2 lbs total dried fruits and nuts.
• Puree all prep ingredients (except for the rum) in a food processor until you have a black/brown paste. You will have to do this in batches unless you want your machine to die a horrible death. Put it all into a large bowl and --.
• This is the point at which you will start laughing at how crazy this recipe is. Just wait --.
• -- Stir the rum into your paste, inhale, pass out -- come to and cover the bowl and let it mature for a long time on the counter. WEEKS. As long as you can. I let mine sit at least a month. If the paste gets dry- add more rum. It should always be moist and heady with the scent of Jamaican paradise. I usually do this in October.
• The day before you are ready to BAKE the cake, cook the caramel sugar.
• To make the caramel sugar: boil together the dark brown sugar and water until it is reduced to 1 3/4 cups. It should simmer on med-low for about 15 minutes.
• Set aside overnight to cool. It may solidify, if so, just microwave it for 2 minute when ready to use.
• Baking day (= AT LEAST 1 week before eating day, I do it a month in advance):.
• preheat oven to 250°F Yes- 250 degrees.
• Find your most humongous bowl and go buy one twice as large for mixing together everything, set aside.
• Bring fruit from its resting place. Stir in the lime peel, vanilla, and caramel. Set aside.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and cloves in a big bowl (not the humongous bowl). Set aside.
• Cream together the butter and dark sugar in the humongous bowl you bought. Add the eggs one at a time until well blended.
• Stir in the dry ingredients (from the big bowl) until blended.
• Stir in the fruit mixture.
• Pour into greased, parchment lined, MINI loaf pans (I use disposable aluminum pans), filling each pan 2/3 full (approx. 415 grams of batter). You will need 10 pans.
• The mini loaves are best for (as you can guess) this cake is POTENT. Tiny, tiny, tiny slices are best.
• Bake 2 1/2 hours. Checking for doneness after 2 hours.
• When the cakes are done (springs back to the touch) let cool on the counter completely.
• Drizzle with yet MORE rum, wrap in foil and let sit for at least a week more. Drizzling with rum everyday -- yummm.

Steps:

• Place raisins, currants, prunes, and mixed peel in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Transfer to a large jar.
• Pour cherry brandy, 1/2 cup brown sugar, dark rum, and mixed spice into the jar; mix well and seal. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until flavors blend, 2 weeks to 3 months.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
• Combine butter and 1 3/4 cup brown sugar in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs until smooth. Beat in raisin mixture until evenly incorporated. Fold in flour and vanilla extract gradually until batter is smooth and falls off the back of a lifted spoon.
• Divide batter between the prepared cake pans. Cover cake pans loosely with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cakes are firm and spring back when lightly pressed, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Cool cakes in the pans, 8 hours to overnight. Wrap in aluminum foil to keep moist.