FOOD, DRINKS + PARTY: Trinidadian Black Cake

Picture from misrecetasfavoritas2.blogspot.com

As I promised, here I brought a easy to make, dark, heavy and delicious Christmas Cake from my second home, Trinidad & Tobago for those who does not, Trinidad & Tobago is a twin island situated in the Caribbean very close to Venezuela, my home country... well I did not move to far from my family. But it is incredible how history and events have been different in both countries, and this has affected the way how people cook and the flavours.

Trinidad & Tobago was an English colony many years ago, so Trinidadians adopted this English tradition, where a fruit cake is served during the Christmas season, in general, this fruit cake contain dried fruits and spices. Our very own Trini Christmas Cake.

The Trinidadian black cake, is very rich and heavy, an explosion of flavours, it is sticky-wet and delicious, but you have to eat it in small portions because can be overwhelming. So I always serve small portions, but people always ask for more.

Here is my favorite recipe for a black cake, you will enjoy this recipe. Try to make this cake, if you have never make a black cake this is a very easy recipe to follow and the results are very good.

TRINIDAD BLACK CAKE (Christmas Cake)

Recipe taken from "The Multicultural Cuisine of Trinidad & Tobago & The Caribbean", by Naparima Girl's High School Cookbook

Serve 36

1 lb. prunes, seeded and chopped

1 lb. raisins

1 lb. currants

1 lb. sultanas

1/4 lb. mixed peel

1/2 lb.cherries, chopped in half

1/4 lb chopped almonds

1- 1/2 cups cherry brandy

2 cups rum

2 cups or 1 lb. butter

2 cups or 1 lb. sugar (brown or granulated)

10 eggs (large)

2 tsp. grated lime peel

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 lb. or 4 cups flour

4 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 cup browning or more

1 cup mixture of rum, cherry brandy and sherry

METHOD

On the day before or a few days before baking cake combine prunes, raisins, currants, sultanas, mixed peel, cherries, almonds, cherry brandy and rum.
Line three 8" round cake pans with double layers of wax paper.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs one at a time: add lime peel and vanilla.
Combine flour, baking powder and cinnamon, fold into creamed mixture gradually.
Add fruit and enough browning to give desired colour: stir well.
Put in lined baking pans 3/4 full and bake in a preheated oven at 250 F for first hour: reduce heat to 200 F - 225 F for remaining 1-1/2 hours or until tester comes out clear.
Pick hot cake and soak with the mixture of rum, cherry brandy and sherry. Cover and set aside. As alcohol soaks in pour more and continue to do so for 12 hours.

N.B. Fruit could also be soaked many month before use.

Nutricion Fact
Serving Size (132 g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 369
Calories from fat 122

Tips:

Decorate you cake free style with poinsetias flower natural or artificial, peeled almonds, cherries red and green.
Place the cake on a white cake base.
Make the cakes in a squere or rectangular pan, cut the cake like mini cakes, decorate the cake as it was mentioned before,rap them in plastic and place the decorated cakes in decorated boxes or tin. It is a beautiful gift for the holiday.
Other idea is to put the mix in individual pans

Do not miss our next issue... Venezuelan Chritsmas Cake!!!