Jamaican Black Cake – Rich Caribbean Fruit Cake for New Year

CountryJamaica

CategoryCakes & Celebration Desserts

OccasionNew Year

DifficultyAdvanced

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Jamaican Black Cake (Caribbean New Year Fruit Cake)

Jamaican Black Cake is not your typical fruit cake. It’s dark, moist, intensely aromatic, and deeply rooted in Caribbean celebrations. Made with blended soaked fruits, burnt sugar syrup, warm spices, and rum, this cake is traditionally served during New Year and weddings.

Dark, dense, and rich—Jamaican Black Cake is all about depth of flavor.

⏱️ Long prep, slow bake 🍇 Soaked Fruits 🥃 Rum-Based 🎉 New Year Tradition

Recipe Card

A traditional Jamaican Black Cake with blended fruits, burnt sugar syrup, and a slow, gentle bake.

Quick Facts

• Fruit SoakOvernight – weeks
• Prep Time30 min
• Bake Time2–2.5 hrs
• TotalSeveral hours
• Servings12–16

Cultural note: The darker the cake, the more respected it is. Pale Black Cake is considered underdeveloped.

Ingredients

Soaked Fruit Base

• 2 cups raisins
• 2 cups prunes
• 1 cup dried currants
• 1 cup dried cherries (or mixed peel)
• 2–3 cups dark rum or red wine

Cake Batter

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Burnt Sugar Syrup

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup hot water

Jump to Instructions Black Cake Technique

Black Cake Technique (What Makes It Different)

Technique	Purpose	Professional Insight
Blended fruit	Uniform texture	Creates moisture without chunks
Burnt sugar syrup	Color + bitterness	Balances sweetness and deepens flavor
Low & slow bake	Even cooking	Prevents dry edges and raw center
Alcohol brushing	Preservation	Extends shelf life and aroma

Why This Recipe Works

• Blended fruit ensures a dense yet smooth crumb.
• Brown sugar + spices create warm complexity.
• Burnt sugar syrup adds bitterness to balance sweetness.
• Long bake develops depth without drying.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1

Soak & blend fruits

Soak dried fruits in rum or wine overnight (or longer). Blend into a thick paste.

2

Prepare burnt sugar syrup

Cook sugar until very dark (almost black). Carefully add hot water and stir.

Safety: Stand back—hot sugar can splatter.

3

Mix the batter

Cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs one at a time, then spices, fruit paste, and flour.

4

Bake slowly

Pour into lined pan. Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 2–2.5 hours.

5

Rest & mature

Brush warm cake with rum. Wrap tightly and rest overnight before slicing.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Cause	Fix
Cake too dry	Oven too hot	Lower temperature, extend bake
Bitter taste	Over-burnt sugar	Stop caramel just before smoking

Storage & Aging

Room temperature: Up to 5 days, tightly wrapped.

Alcohol-aged: Can last weeks if lightly brushed with rum.

Freezer: Freezes well up to 3 months.

FAQ

Is Jamaican Black Cake the same as fruit cake?

No. It’s darker, moister, and uses blended fruit and burnt sugar syrup.

Can I make it alcohol-free?

Yes. Use grape juice or cherry juice instead of rum.