AmbergrisCaye.com Home
Posted By: Marty Black Fruit Cake - 04/03/12 01:46 PM

Black cake, a rich, molasses-spiced cake filled with drunken dried fruits, is a part of Christmas festivities throughout the Caribbean. ... The cake likely evolved from holiday plum pudding recipes British colonizers brought to the West Indies in the 18th century.

Aunt Grace's Black Fruit Cake is delectable and delicious. The burnt sugar makes it rich and moist. You can make this cake sans alcohol by using grape juice to wet the cake instead of wine or alcohol.


Belize Black Fruit Cake
The most popular cake eaten during the holidays.

1 lb butter
1 pt stout
1 qt rum
2 lbs flour
1 tsp allspice
1 lb brown sugar for stewing fruit
1 lb each of: rasins, prunes, currants, citron, dates, cherries, mixed peel and pecans
2 lbs brown sugar
1/2 pt caramel coloring
8 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp nutmeg

METHOD: Stew all fruit with 1 lb brown sugar and rum; cook until liquid becomes a thick syrup. Let fruits cool overnight.

In large mixing bowl, cream butter with 2 lbs brown sugar, and add eggs one at a time. Add flour, baking powder and spice alternately with stout and colouring. Finally, fold the stewed fruit into the mixture. Line cake pans with brown paper.Fill about 3/4 baking pan. Bake in very slow oven(270° F) for about 3 hours.

Tip: To aviod fruits from sinking, drain fruits, mix with 1 beaten egg and dredge in flour before before adding to creamed mixture.

- Betsy Canton

Belizean Pride


Moist Belizean Black Fruit Cake


Belizean Black Fruit Cake made with burnt sugar is the best. My Aunt Grace's Black Fruit Cake is moist and delicious. I did this one with a twist this time... I added in brandy. This recipe is simple and simply exquisite.

Posted By: Bear Re: Black Fruit Cake - 04/03/12 02:29 PM
Oh god...this is such good cake...we first had it at Clarissa Falls in the early 90's and we've been hooked ever since. I have alternately praised Cheyna and cursed her when i run out and start Jonesing for more. I am constantly bringing the burnt sugar syrup home for baker friends who marvel that, try as they might, they just cant get the syrup "right" when they try to make it here.

Thanks for nothing Marty as I am sans BFC and you just woke up the monkey wink

Note: Having now watched the video it seems as if this recipe will result in a less dense, or lighter version than most of the black cake I've had. If anyone has made this recipe I'd be interested in knowing if thats the case. Although the black cakes we had have been almost as dense as a Corsicana Fruit Cake they remain incredibly moist.
Posted By: Marty Re: Black Fruit Cake - 12/11/15 08:23 PM

With only thirteen days away from Christmas we are pretty sure that most Belizean kitchens have already started preparing and baking black fruit cake, which is the season's tradition here in the jewel.

So, our Foodie Friday segment brings you the famous black fruit cake recipe which is a must have during Christmas time in all Belize homes. But first a little history:

This tradition which spreads throughout the Caribbean dates back to the middle of the 17th century when English settlers brought over a tradition of the 'English pudding.' Over time that was radically modified by African slaves and their descendants who evolved it into a rich rum cake, a potent mix of finely ground raisins, cherries and nuts which were soaked for months in over proof rum.

Ingredients:

  • 2lb flour
  • 1lb butter
  • 3lb brown sugar(set 1lb of sugar aside for stewing fruit)
  • 1pt. stout
  • 1/2 pt. caramel colouring
  • 1 qt. rum
  • 1lb raisins
  • 1lb currants
  • 1lb citron
  • 1lb dates
  • 1lb cherries
  • 1lb mixed peel
  • 1lb pecans/walnuts
  • 8 eggs
  • 1tsp. baking powder
  • 1tsp allspice
  • 1tsp nutmeg

Directions:

Soak fruits in rum and sugar for at least 7 days before making cake.

Put aside a little flour to use on fruits before adding to batter. This keeps fruits from settling at the bottom of the cake.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating constantly. Add flour, baking powder and spices into the butter, sugar and eggs mix with a spoon. Then add stout and colouring to the mixture. Beat for about 4 minutes at high speed. In a separate dish pour the rum off the fruits.(The rum should be kept to add to the finished cake after cooling) Flour fruits and add to the batter.

Heat oven to 300�F. While the oven is heating just let batter "settle" a while. Line baking pan with aluminum foil or wax paper. Grease lightly with butter. Spoon batter evenly into the buttered pan about 3/4 full. Bake in slow oven for about 3 hours. Insert toothpick in center and it should come out clean when done.

When cake is completely cool sprinkle rum all over. Garnished with cherries and walnuts.

Flavouring improves with storing. You can sprinkle cake again with rum, brandy or wine before storing to enjoy later!

Although everyone loves their black cake, the texture preference can vary: some like it soaking wet, others like it more fruity, more plain or nutty. Feel free to make changes to the recipe as you like.

Original recipe courtesy: Belize Poultry Association

Chaa Creek blog



Black Fruit Cake CHRISTMAS RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 lb. butter
1 pt. stout
1 qt. rum
2 lbs. flour
1 tsp. allspice
3 lbs. brown sugar
1 lb. of each fruit
Raisins
Prunes
Currants
Dates
Cherries
Pecans
� pt. caramel coloring
8 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. nutmeg

Directions:
Stew all the fruit with 1 lb. brown sugar and rum. Cook the mixture until the liquid becomes thick syrup. Let the fruits cool overnight. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter along with 2 lbs. brown sugar and add in eggs one at time. Then add flour, baking powder, all spice, stout and caramel coloring one at a time to the mixture. Lastly, fold the stewed fruit to the mixture. To avoid having the stewed fruit sink to the bottom of the mixture, drain them, mix with 1 beaten egg and dredge in flour before adding it to the batter.

Now, line your cake pans with parchment paper and fill about � ways with the batter. Bake at 270˚F for about 3 hours.
Posted By: Marty Re: Black Fruit Cake - 12/12/16 06:33 AM

All I Want for Christmas is Belizean Black Fruit Cake

Are you sick and tired of waiting for Belizean people to make you your Black Fruit Cake? Are you fed up with the fruits in your cake sinking to the bottom? This is s tutorial on how to make our Belizean Black fruit cake right the very first time. The fruits will float and not sick to the bottom.

Posted By: Marty Re: Black Fruit Cake - 12/21/16 06:31 AM
[Linked Image]

Ingredients

1 lb butter
1 pt stout
1 qt rum
2 lbs flour
1 tsp allspice
1 lb brown sugar for stewing fruit
1 lb each of: raIsins, prunes, currants, citron, dates, cherries, mixed peel and pecans
2 lbs brown sugar
1/2 pt caramel coloring
8 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp nutmeg

Method

Stew all fruit with 1 lb brown sugar and rum; cook until liquid becomes a thick syrup. Let fruits cool overnight.

In large mixing bowl, cream butter with 2 lbs brown sugar, and add eggs one at a time. Add flour, baking powder and spice alternately with stout and colouring. Finally, fold the stewed fruit into the mixture. Line cake pans with brown paper.Fill about 3/4 baking pan. Bake in very slow oven(270° F) for about 3 hours. ENJOY!!

Tip: To avoid fruits from sinking, drain fruits, mix with 1 beaten egg and dredge in flour before before adding to creamed mixture.
Posted By: ScubaLdy Re: Black Fruit Cake - 12/21/16 12:20 PM
WOW - this must weigh a ton! I added up the ingredients calling for pounds and came up with 13. That does not include the liquids. How heavy are these things?
Posted By: dabunk Re: Black Fruit Cake - 12/21/16 01:06 PM
Think of the heaviest fruitcake and double it! But they are delicious!!
Posted By: Marty Re: Black Fruit Cake - 12/22/16 05:38 AM

Ms. Gillett's Black Cake



How To Make Belizean Black Fruit Cake

If you ask any Belizean both young or old what make Christmas a Belizean Christmas, they'll more than likely tell you it's Black Fruit Cake and Rum Popo. In truth, this combination has over the years become two of the most important elements of the Belizean Holidays. Step into almost any household and you'll find mini workstations (typically run by the matriarch of the house), with eggs being beaten, batter being mixed, and milky mixtures being stirred by younger family members.

If you're lucky enough to be visiting Belize this Christmas, you should definitely try to get your hands on a slice of Belizean black fruit cake with a glass of rum popo. For those of you who can't make it, we've prepared the following cooking guide on how to prepare these tasty Christmas favorites. Do enjoy!

Ingredients

1 lb. butter
2 lbs. brown sugar
1 pt. stout
� pt. caramel coloring
1 qt. rum
1 lb. raisins
1 lb. prunes
1 lb. currants
1 lb. citron
1 lb. dates
1 lb. cherries
1 lb. mixed peel
1 lb. pecans
8 eggs
2 lbs. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 lb. brown sugar for stewing fruit

Preparation

Cream butter with sugar; add eggs one at a time. Add flour, baking powder and spices alternately with stout and coloring. Finally, add fruit that has been stewed well with rum and sugar. Line cake pans with brown paper. Fill about � full. Bake in very slow oven (275 degrees) for about 3 hours.

As flavoring improves with storage, it is recommended to sprinkle a little rum before and after storing.

Posted By: Diane Campbell Re: Black Fruit Cake - 12/22/16 01:22 PM
I have a black-cake in the freezer ..... it won't freeze. too much alcohol.
:-)

Posted By: Marty Re: Black Fruit Cake - 12/02/17 11:34 AM

Grace & You Black Fruit Cake with Browning Sauce
Posted By: Marty Re: Black Fruit Cake - 12/11/18 12:20 PM

How To Make Belizean Black Fruit Cake

Black fruit cake or black cake is made all over the Caribbean and Central America. My Aunt Grace's recipe is very moist and rich. The burnt sugar gives the cake a nice caramel flavor.
Posted By: Marty Re: Black Fruit Cake - 12/20/18 07:08 PM

Traditional Black Cake - Jehan Gillett recipe for this Belizean staple

Jehan Gillett shared her recipe for this Belizean staple.
Posted By: Marty Re: Black Fruit Cake - 12/18/19 11:37 AM

Christmas staple - Black Fruit Cake

Eva Longsworth is the Chef at Doni & Dodits located in Corozal. She was our guest to share her grandmother's recipe for Christmas staple - Black Fruit Cake.

=============

From my 'What's Cooking In The Belizean Kitchens' cookbook. The black syrup is made in a professional boiler like the one used to make condensed milk, soft drinks etc. coloring is another story. The colouring was Bradley's finished product. Maybe the burnt sugar is added, the same as the flavor added to the soft drinks. This recipe is similar to the one in Belize Hospital Auxiliary Cook book, just more detailed which is good for people who don't bake often. The one in the BHA is very basic with its directions.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

This is the recipe from the Belize Hospital Auxiliary cook book. The one in the BHA is from Betsy Canton. Thats the one I have always made and so far so good. But I do increase the quantity of the spices.

[Linked Image]
Posted By: Marty Re: Black Fruit Cake - 12/17/20 12:16 PM

Belizean Black Fruit Cake | Rum Cake

Fruit cakes are popular all over the world during the holiday time, but it always seems like no one want to receive them. Growing up in Belize, we were treated to black fruit (rum) cake. We always look forward to this treat because the cake is rich with a lot of butter, sugar and eggs and fruits. The ingredient which makes this cake unique it "Burnt sugar."
Posted By: Marty Re: Black Fruit Cake - 12/20/20 01:21 PM

Belizean Black Fruitcake
I know many of you are making black fruitcake for the Christmas season. Sharing my mom's "secret" Black Fruitcake recipe with you. I know she would be very proud watching down on me.

[Linked Image]
© Ambergris Caye Belize Message Board