Black Cake aka Christmas Fruit Cake

The staple dessert at Christmas on our dinner table throughout the season.
I remember my mom would soak the fruits months in advance in wine and begin baking at the start of December.
In those first few days, the house would drown in the aroma of freshly baked Fruit cake.

Make and give as a gift ; cut into squares and serve with ice cream... or plain old grab a large slice and smile through your day.

This will be one of the lengthier recipes as more preparation is involved to complete this 'OMG I made Black Cake recipe'

Ensure you follow the recipe based on the order the ingredients are listed.

Ingredients :

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
16 oz of flour , plus an additional 4 oz flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
5 eggs
Spice, nutmeg
Caramel browning
Chopped Prunes, raisins, cherries
Red Wine



Mixing instructions:


Cream butter and sugar together.
In a separate bowl,sift flour, baking powder and baking soda
In a third bowl, crack 5 eggs and whisk

Add in freshly grated nutmeg and spice - however, if you prefer use Almond Essence to taste

*Instructions are based on if you use a standing mixer*

I have also done this recipe by hand mixing with a wooden spoon- get ready to take a lot of breaks to rest your wrist as the mixing process takes a lot longer - but the cake comes out just as amazing.
You'll actually appreciate it more.

1. Slowly spoon in flour mixture into the creamed butter and sugar batter, ensure to scrape the sides.
2. On low speed, add whisked eggs to the batter. Increased speed and allow batter to mix until you can no longer see lumps in the bowl.
3. Add Browning - I used a full bottle of Grace Caramel Browning (142ml) ; however if you don't wish for your cake to be very dark- feel free to use less

Fruit preparation:

If you prefer a stronger wine base for your cake- start with this step either a few months in advance or even a few weeks prior to baking. For those, who don't have the time- soaking the fruits the  day for atleast an hour or two is perfectly fine as well.


Dice your prunes in quarters
Boil your prunes in 3 cups of water on medium heat , boil for 15mins; then strain.

Dice sultanas in half, if you prefer smaller piece in your cake
I boiled these in the boiled prune water for more flavor, however you can use 3 more cups of water and boil for 15mins; then strain .

Allow fruits to cool prior to adding to the mixture - at least 2 hours

Dice cherries and set aside. I use Marashino cherries, they taste amazing and they are easy sweet treats for yourself while baking.

Mix fruits together prior to adding to mixture

I let my fruits soak for 8 months.

 Baking instructions:

Preheat at 350⁰  and bake at same temperature.
Bake for 45-60 minutes.
Baking time will vary based on the size and the depth of the pan.

If you have the time, put in a tester in the oven first to ensure everything taste to your liking and this will allow you to make any adjustments to your recipe is required.

Test cake with toothpicks -if baked right,  this cake should be moist.

I wish you could taste this- but you can't .sooo Make it!

Pour yourself a glass of wine and unwind.