Black cake, Christmas Cake, fruit cake, it is referred to by quite a few names over here. Traditionally baked at Christmas time, this delightful treat can be enjoyed all year round.
Recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
Cake:
1 lb butter
1 lb sugar
8 eggs
1 tsp lemon essence
2 tsp lime rind (zested)
2 tsp almond essence
2 tsp vanilla
1 lb all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
Fruit Base:
1 lb pitted prunes
1 lb raisins
1 lb currants
1 bottle cherry brandy
1 bottle rum
2 tbsp Angostura bitters
Browning:
1 lb brown sugar
1/2 cup boiling hot water
Have on Hand:
1 more bottle of rum
METHOD:
Three to Five Days Before:
Up to five days before you make the cake, chop up all the fruits for the fruit base. Place in a large bowl, pour in Angostura bitters, cherry brandy and rum. Leave in a cool corner, covered, to soak up the liquor.
On the Day Of:
Blend Fruit Base
Prepare Browning:
Cook sugar until caramelised, add hot water gradually. Mix well and leave to cool.
1. Preheat oven to 250F
2. Cream the butter and sugar.
3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing to incorporate.
4. Add lemon essence, lemon zest, almond essence and vanilla.
5. Mix and sift flour, baking powder, mixed spice and nutmeg.
6. Gradually add sifted ingredients to creamed mixture.
7. Mix in fruit base puree and “browning”.
8. Pour batter into greased tins that have been doubly lined with brown paper or parchment paper.
9. Bake for three hours.
10. Once removed from the oven soak the tops with equal portions of the remaining bottle of rum.
Dwight Yorke, one of T&T's best football (soccer) player, made the Manchester United team in August 1998.