Recipe for Black Cake

Black cake is a cake that all West Indians enjoy. Usually this cake is made in the Christmas season and given as a present to relatives and friends. How could you possibly have Christmas festivities without it?! However, this cake can be enjoyed anytime during the year so go ahead and try making it. I'm sure you'll like it.

If you do try this recipe, I would greatly appreciate any feedback you may have about how it tasted and perhaps any suggestions you may have to improve upon this recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 oz dried fruit, mango, papaya (pawpaw), pineapple, red cherries
• 2 oz raisins, currants, chopped dates
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons (tsp) vanilla (optional)
• 2 tsp browning sauce
• 1-1½ cups dark rum
• 1¼ cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinammon
• ¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• ½ cup (1 stick) softened butter
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ½ tsp almond extract (optional)
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp salt
• Confectioners sugar icing

Procedure:

1. Finely chop dried mango, papaya (pawpaw), pineapple and red cherries.
2. Place in a large bowl with the remaining fruits.
3. Pour enough rum over to cover; Then cover and allow to stand overnight or in a refridgerator for about one week or longer.
4. Line bottom of 9x5x3 loaf pan with wax paper.
5. Grease paper and sides of pan; Then dust with flour.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. In a bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
8. Add eggs one at a time, beating in vanilla, almond extract, and browning sauce if desired.
9. Drain fruits, reserving the rum. Measure ¼ cup rum and reserve remainder (if necessary, add additional rum to make a ¼ cup.
10. Sift together the dry ingredients.
11. Add ingredients to mixer bowl alternatively with the ¼ cup rum, beating just until there is a combined fold in fruits and nuts.
12. Turn into prepared pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
13. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes; Then let it cool on a wire rack.
14. If desired, soak cheesecloth in rum and wrap the cloth around the cake.

Notes:

• Amount of certain ingredients may vary depending on your tastes, such as the amount of rum.

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