Trinidad Black Fruit Cake aka Rum Cake – Authentic Trini Caribbean Christmas Recipe

Trinidad Black Cake is a true Christmas tradition across the islands. Rich, dark, boozy, and unbelievably moist, this cake is made with fruits that have been soaked for months (or at least a few days) in rum and cherry brandy and sometimes other alcohol. Every “Trini” household has its own version, but the core flavor is always the same deep, aromatic, soaked fruits blended into a smooth paste, warm spices, browning for color and caramel flavor, and a generous splash of rum after baking. This version gives you a classic, round Trinidad Black Cake the way families have made it for generations.

Trinidad – It’s People, It’s Culture, It’s Traditions and Why is This Cake So Important?

This version gives you a classic, round Trinidad Black Cake the way families have made it for generations. You can also create your own version and make it kid friendly by omitting the alcohol. You can decorate it by adding a glaze or decoration of choice but the norm in Trinidad is leaving it un-decorated.

Trinidad is the larger island of the twin-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago, located in the southern Caribbean, just off the coast of Venezuela, known for its stunning beaches, vibrant coral reefs, the majestic Northern Range mountains, world-famous Pitch Lake, rich oil and gas reserves, renowned bird sanctuaries like the Caroni Bird Sanctuary and a long list of other tropical paradise beauty. The island is known for its rich mix of cultures such as Afro-Trinidadian, Indo-Trinidadian, Spanish, French Creole, Chinese, Syrian, and people from many other countries around the globe, all of which shape its food, festivals, and music. The people are nicknamed “Trini’s,” which I’m sure by now you’ve figured out is short for Trinidadian. At Christmas time, Trinidad becomes especially vibrant. Families bake traditional foods like black cake, sponge cake, currants roll, coconut drops, pastelles, sweetbread, Christmas ham, hops bread to go with the ham, and just about any traditional Trini Christmas food, and homes are filled with the sounds of Parang, which is a joyful, upbeat, guitar-driven Christmas music style with Spanish roots derived from the Spanish word “parranda,” meaning “a spree or fête.” Just like there are traditional North American Christmas carols, the same goes for parang music where there are the classic ones, and each year the Soca and Calypso singers known as “calypsonians” release their own mix of Christmas Soca Parang songs such as a classic funny one named “Santa Looking for a Wife” by Tobago artist Bindley Benjamin which goes viral every single Christmas. The people of Trinidad are big on hospitality, and you can rest assured that if you were to stop by a Trini’s house during the Christmas season, you will be fed to your heart’s content, and their personality is warm, lively, musical, and full of sarcasm and jokes, all about having a good old time with family and friends, just a fun laid back island life. And back to the fruit cake, which goes by the name BLACK CAKE & RUM CAKE, we at LILCHEFANDMOM.COM are thrilled and proud to share a lil piece of our Trinidad culture with you. Remember, this cake contains alcohol so eat responsibly and don’t drive lol.

Popular Trinidad Christmas Soca Parang

“Santa looking For A Wife”

The Cake – Soaked Fruits

You can use pre-soaked fruits or prepare this at least 3 days ahead or if you absolutely can’t then it’s okay to soak the fruits right before making the cake but the flavors will not be as rich as it it were soaked beforehand but still great nonetheless.

Ingredients

• 2 cups raisins
• 1 cup currants
• 1 cup prunes
• 1 cup mixed peel
• 1 cup cherries (red or mixed)
• 1 cup dark rum
• 1 cup cherry brandy

Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp mixed spice (allspice)
• 1/2 tsp clove
• 1/4 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp almond essence
• 1 tsp mixed essence (optional but very Trini)
• 1/2 cup browning (more or less depending on desired darkness)

After-Bake Soaking

• 1/4–1/2 cup dark rum
• Optional: 2–3 tbsp cherry brandy

How to Prepare the Fruits

1. Chop the raisins, currants, prunes, peel, and cherries.
2. Place in a large glass container.
3. Pour rum and cherry brandy over the fruits.
4. Cover and allow to soak.
5. When ready to use, blend the fruits until smooth. Some people like to leave a few small chunks; blend to your preferred texture.

Instructions

Step 1 – Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 275°F (135°C). Black cake bakes low and slow so it stays moist and doesn’t dry out.

Grease and line a round cake pan (8 or 9 inch) with parchment paper. Many Trinis double-line the pan to prevent burning.

Step 2 – Cream Butter and Sugar

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. This step helps create a smooth, moist texture.

Step 3 – Add Eggs and Essences

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Stir in vanilla, almond essence, and mixed essence.

Step 4 – Add Blended Fruits

Fold in the blended fruit mixture and mix well.
Add the browning and stir until the batter reaches your preferred color. Some households like it jet black; others like it dark brown.

Step 5 – Combine Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, mixed spice, clove, and salt.

Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, folding gently. Do not overmix.

Step 6 – Bake the Black Cake

Pour batter into the prepared round pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours depending on your oven.
The cake is done when a skewer inserted in the center comes out mostly clean (a little moisture is fine).

If the top starts to get too dark, loosely tent with foil.

Step 7 – “Feed” the Cake (Traditional Trini Method)

Right after removing from the oven, poke holes all over the cake with a skewer.

Pour 1–2 tablespoons of rum or cherry brandy over the warm cake.
Let the cake cool completely.

Black Cake improves over time. Wrap it in parchment and foil, then store in an airtight container. Every few days leading up to Christmas, add another spoon of rum (“feed it”) to keep it rich and moist.

Tips for the Most Authentic Trini Black Cake

• Browning is essential—it gives the cake its dark color and caramelized flavor.
• Mixed essence is a signature Caribbean flavor and makes a big difference.
• Blend fruits to your preferred texture. Smooth paste gives the most traditional texture, but some people love tiny fruit bits.
• Use real rum. Trinidadians typically use strong dark rum; some prefer puncheon, but use lightly.
• Let it rest. A black cake that sits for a few days becomes richer, softer, and more flavorful.

Storage Instructions

• Black Cake lasts weeks when wrapped tightly and stored in a cool place.
• You can refrigerate it, but many Trinis keep it wrapped at room temperature and continue feeding it with rum.
• It freezes extremely well for up to 6 months.

Serving Suggestions

Serve slices at room temperature with sorrel, ponche-de-crème, or a warm holiday drink. Black Cake is often the centerpiece of a Trinidad Christmas table, shared with family and gifted to friends.