Black Cake

Desserts
Black Cake

I remember Black Cake being served to our family and friends when they visit us for Christmas every year. My mother would make the Black Cake. It is generally expected to be served Black Cake when you visit your friends and family for Christmas.

Black Cake is also made for wedding cakes, the reason being is that Black Cake has a very long shelf life. My mother would have Black Cake in her fridge that was close to a year old. Black Cake is made with rum which causes the cake to last a long time without spoiling.

Many years ago, Christmas time, I ate quite alot of Black Cake that my mother prepared, it tasted really good and I ended up being really sick. Not because the cake was bad but because I was too greedy!!!

Black Cake is sold commercially now and can be purchased during the year. They are even sold in packages/boxes as souvenirs.

Ingredients
3lbs dark seedless raisins
1 tablespoon gravy browning
2 lbs currants
5 cups flour
1 lb mixed candied fruit
2 lbs red candied cherries
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
6 eggs
1/2 pound butter
1 bottle red wine

Method
Grind raisins, mixed candied fruits and place in a large container. Cut cherries in two and add. Add currants. Pour bottle of wine over ground fruit and cover tightly. Let soak for as long as possible.

Cream butter and eggs until light and fluffy. Add Sugar. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices together. Mix in dry ingredients along with gravy browning and essences until well blended.

Fold in fruit mixture and blend well. Pour into pans, which have been greased and lined with greaseproof paper and greased a second time.

Bake at 250 degrees until cake shrinks away from sides or when toothpick comes out clean when tested in center of cake. Cool Thoroughly. Wet cakes with balance of wine.