Black Cake/Caribbean Rum Cake

Black Cake is known by many different names such as Caribbean Rum Cake, Caribbean Fruit Cake, Caribbean Black Cake, and Christmas Cake. The name depends on what country or caribbean island you're from.

According to a New York Times’ article, Black Cake descended from the British Plum Cake. For many people in the Caribbean, black cake is reserved for special occasions –weddings, christenings, birthdays and christmas. I would take that theory one step further and say that a wedding become a caribbean wedding with the inclusion of black cake (caribbean rum cake), whether it’s the wedding cake, or given to the guests in a cake box as a favor.

The essence of black cake is the fruits (raisins, currents, prunes, mixed peel, and cherries), rum, and brown sugar. When decorated almond paste is usually added and then decorated with royal icing.

Photograph: Marilyn Caribbean Cakes