Rum-Soaked Dried Fruit Mixture (for Caribbean Black Cake)
The macerated fruit mixture is the star ingredient to any Caribbean black cake recipe. Prepare this recipe to up to a year in advance of when you plan to make black cake, so that you'll always be sure to have some on hand.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Total Time35 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Caribbean, Jamaican
Keyword: black cake, fruits, raisins, rum, rum cake
Author: Monique Creary
Ingredients
450g(1 lb) seedless raisins
225g(1/2 lb) mixed glacé fruit or mixed citrus peel
225g(1/2 lb) currents
110g(1/4 lb) glacé cherries
110g(1/4 lb) prunes
250ml(1 cup) fortified or port wine,plus extra
250ml(1 cup) rum,plus extra
Instructions
Depending on whether you need this fruit mixture right away, or you're prepping for next Christmas, use the applicable recipe from one of the two options below:
Advance Preparation Method:
In a large, glass airtight container (like a mason jar), add in all the dried fruits.
Pour in the wine and the rum until the fruits are just covered.
Store in a cool, dark place, checking every week or so to make sure that the fruits are still immersed in the alcohol. Top up as needed.
Best if prepared at least a week in advance of making traditional Caribbean black cake, but can be stored for about a year (the longer the better).
Quick Preparation Method:
In a medium saucepan, combine the raisins, mixed peel, currents, cherries, prunes and wine over medium-high heat. When mixture just begins to boil, reduce heat and let simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Stir in the rum and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
Cover and set aside until ready to blend for black cake.
Notes
This is just a guideline for soaking dried fruits. You can use more or less of any one ingredient depending on your preference.
This recipe will make enough fruit mixture for about 4-6 8" cakes, depending on how much you want add to the batter. Feel free to double (or even triple) the recipe if you plan on doing lots of baking. This mixture can store for a very long time because of all the alcohol.
You can use dried cherries in place of glace or maraschino cherries (which are sweeter).
You want check on your fruit mixture every week or so, and top it off with more alcohol, as it'll be absorbed by the fruits the longer the store it.
Don't soak your fruits in a plastic or aluminium container. Only use glass, as the alcohol can react with plastic and aluminum materials.
For the Quick Preparation Method, the reason why the rum is added last, is because it's usually the most expensive of the two alcohols used in the recipe (we don't want that liquid gold evaporating while it's on the stove).
Looking for an alcohol-free version? Just soak your fruits in pulp-free orange juice and use them the same day.