Trinidad Black Cake

This is my absolute favourite cake for the Christmas holidays. I would always look forward to this season just to get a piece of this cake. The longer the fruit sits in the alcohol the better is tastes, minimum 2 weeks, maximum 3 months. As for the cake, the longer it sits there better it tastes! But make sure you have it wrapped properly if you want to leave it sitting for a long time. Make at few days ahead of serving for good measure. Prep time is minimum time required for fruit to soak.

• Ready In: 338 hrs
• Yields: 2 9 inch cakes

Ingredients

•  fruit, mixture
• 2  cups currants
• 3  cups raisins
• 1  cup prune
• 2⁄3 cup  mixed peel
• 2 1⁄4 cups dark brown sugar
• 1  teaspoon mixed spice
• 1 1⁄4 cups cherry brandy
• 6  tablespoons dark rum
•  cake  batter
• 2  cups butter (softened)
• 10  eggs
• 4  cups self rising flour
• 1  teaspoon vanilla essence

Directions

1. To Prepare Fruit Mixture (reminder, this is done at least 2 weeks ahead of baking the cake).
2. Wash the currants, raisins, prunes and mixed peel, then pat dry.
3. Place fruit mixture in a food processor and process until finely chopped.
4. Transfer to a large, clean jar or container, add 1/2 cup brown sugar, the mixed spice, rum and cherry brandy.
5. Mix very well and then cover with a lid and set aside for anything from 2 week to 3 months.
6. NOTE: I kept my mixture in the fridge during this time and the longer it is left to sit the better the flavour will be.
7. Stir the fruit mixture occasionally and keep covered.
8. Optional: You may add more alcohol when you do this. (I didn't).
9. To Make Cake.
10. Preheat oven to 325°F.
11. Grease and line two 9 inch cakes pans with parchment paper.
12. Sift the flour, set aside.
13. Cream together butter and 1 3/4 cups brown sugar.
14. Beat in eggs, until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
15. Add the fruit mixture, then gradually stir in flour and vanilla.
16. Mix well, adding 1-2 tbsps of cherry brandy if the mixture is too stiff.
17. NOTE: The mixture should be able to fall off the back of the spoon, but should not be too runny.
18. Spoon the mixture in to the prepared tins, cover loosely with foil and bake for about 2 1/2 hours until the cake is firm and springs back to the touch.
19. Leave cake to cool in tin overnight, then sprinkle with more dark rum if the cake is not being used immediately.
20. Wrap cake in foil to keep it moist.