Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Fruit preparation:
1 pound craisins
1 pound dark raisins
1 pound pitted dates
1 pound dried cherries
1 pound dried blueberries
8 ounces glacé cherries
8 ounces dried mango
5 cups dark rum, plus more as needed (I use Myers)
1 cup cherry brandy - plus extra for brushing cake after baking
Cake portion to be incorporated with above fruit mixture:
1 pound room temperature butter
1 pound dark brown sugar
12 large eggs
Finely grated zest of 2 limes
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 teaspoons almond extract
1/2 teaspoon each nutmeg, allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup burnt sugar (found in Caribbean markets)
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Directions: |
Directions:Combine the fruit, 5 cups of rum, 1 cup cheery brandy in a tight-fitting lid. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 month and up to 1 year. Shake or stir the mixture occasionally. Keep for 2 months...or up to a year.
When ready to bake cake, combine the macerated fruit mixture with its liquid in a blender or food processor and process in batches, using extra brandy to loosen. Grind to a paste in a food processor or grinder.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Grease 2 to three 9 pans, then line the bottom of each with a double layer of parchment paper.
Combine the 4 sticks of butter and the dark brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on low, then medium speed for several minutes, until light and fluffy. Stop to scrape down the bowl. On low speed, beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the lime zest, vanilla & almond extract beating until well incorporated. Scrape the batter into a very large mixing bowl.
Combine the flour, baking powder and cinnamon. This is a very heavy batter, and stirring will take muscle; you might want to divide among a couple of bowls for mixing in a stand mixer. The batter should be dark; if the color seems too tan or light, stir in more of the burnt sugar as needed.
Divide the batter among prepared pans, filling them almost to the top. Bake at 300 degrees; bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. Transfer the cakes, in their pans, to wire racks to cool.
While the cakes are cooling, baste them with a mixture of cherry brandy & rum every few minutes until the cakes are cool and/or no longer absorb rum. |
This recipe for BLACK CAKE is from