Sweet Black Cake with Rum-Soaked Fruits

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-28 · Updated 2026-05-28

A dense and moist Trinidadian black cake rich with rum-soaked dried fruits and warm spices, perfect for festive occasions. This caribbean-inspired desserts ready in about 200 minutes layers dark rum, unsalted butter, softened, brown sugar into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 12, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3 cups mixed dried fruits (currants, raisins, prunes, cherries, chopped)
• 2 cups dark rum
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp molasses

Instructions

1. Step 1: Combine 3 cups mixed dried fruits with 2 cups dark rum in a large bowl. Cover and soak at room temperature for at least 1 week, stirring every day to ensure even soaking.
2. Step 2: Preheat oven to 300°F. Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
3. Step 3: In a large bowl, beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter and 1 1/2 cups brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
4. Step 4: Add 4 large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in 2 tsp vanilla extract and 2 tbsp molasses.
5. Step 5: In another bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp ground allspice, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, and 1 tsp baking powder.
6. Step 6: Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet batter until just combined.
7. Step 7: Drain the soaked fruits, reserving 1/2 cup of rum. Fold the fruits and 1/2 cup reserved rum into the batter.
8. Step 8: Pour batter into prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, checking after 2 hours and covering with foil if browning too fast.
9. Step 9: Insert a skewer; if it comes out clean, remove cake from oven. Cool completely before removing from pan.
10. Step 10: Wrap cake in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container, optionally brushing with additional rum every few days to deepen flavor before serving.