Trinidad Black Cake- a Hilarious, Tasty, Rummy, Lump of a Cake.

A sticky-rum soaked cartoon of a cake. You must try it, is is worth every ounce of money and effort! My sister's favorite request every Christmas. I start making it in October. This cake is euphoria. This is Fruitcake done right. YOU WILL NEED TO START THE BAKING PORTION OF THIS CAKE AT LEAST A WEEK BEFORE YOU WANT TO EAT IT. BEGIN SOAKING THE FRUITS AT LEAST A MONTH IN ADVANCE. Not really for the novice baker (only because you have to figure out the baking time on your own based on the size of the cakes you make). I recommend mini loaf pans for this. Merry Christmas!

• Ready In: 4 hrs
• Yields: 10 mini loaves

Ingredients

• prep

• 3⁄4 lb currants
• 3⁄4 lb raisins
• 1⁄2 lb prune
• 1⁄2 lb fig
• 1 (16 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained
• 1⁄2 lb  mixed peel
• 1⁄2 lb pecans
• 2 1⁄2 cups jamaican rum (the darkest you can find)

• caramel sugar

• 1  lb dark brown sugar
• 1  cup water

• Final cooking

• 2  teaspoons lime zest
• 2  teaspoons vanilla
• 4  cups flour
• 4  teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon ground cloves
• 1  lb butter, softened
• 2 1⁄4 cups dark brown sugar
• 9  eggs

Directions

1. Note: I usually end up using the better part of a whole bottle of rum by the time this cake is done.
2. Note: any mixture of dried fruits would probably work-- you just want between 4 1/2- 5 1/2 lbs total dried fruits and nuts.
3. Puree all prep ingredients (except for the rum) in a food processor until you have a black/brown paste. You will have to do this in batches unless you want your machine to die a horrible death. Put it all into a large bowl and --.
4. This is the point at which you will start laughing at how crazy this recipe is. Just wait --.
5. -- Stir the rum into your paste, inhale, pass out -- come to and cover the bowl and let it mature for a long time on the counter. WEEKS. As long as you can. I let mine sit at least a month. If the paste gets dry- add more rum. It should always be moist and heady with the scent of Jamaican paradise. I usually do this in October.
6. The day before you are ready to BAKE the cake, cook the caramel sugar.
7. To make the caramel sugar: boil together the dark brown sugar and water until it is reduced to 1 3/4 cups. It should simmer on med-low for about 15 minutes.
8. Set aside overnight to cool. It may solidify, if so, just microwave it for 2 minute when ready to use.
9. Baking day (= AT LEAST 1 week before eating day, I do it a month in advance):
10. preheat oven to 250°F Yes- 250 degrees.
11. Find your most humongous bowl and go buy one twice as large for mixing together everything, set aside.
12. Bring fruit from its resting place. Stir in the lime peel, vanilla, and caramel. Set aside.
13. Sift together the flour, baking powder and cloves in a big bowl (not the humongous bowl). Set aside.
14. Cream together the butter and dark sugar in the humongous bowl you bought. Add the eggs one at a time until well blended.
15. Stir in the dry ingredients (from the big bowl) until blended.
16. Stir in the fruit mixture.
17. Pour into greased, parchment lined, MINI loaf pans (I use disposable aluminum pans), filling each pan 2/3 full (approx. 415 grams of batter). You will need 10 pans.
18. The mini loaves are best for (as you can guess) this cake is POTENT. Tiny, tiny, tiny slices are best.
19. Bake 2 1/2 hours. Checking for doneness after 2 hours.
20. When the cakes are done (springs back to the touch) let cool on the counter completely.
21. Drizzle with yet MORE rum, wrap in foil and let sit for at least a week more. Drizzling with rum everyday -- yummm.