Gluten Free and Dairy Free Black Cake (Fruit Cake)

I decided to make black cake (fruit cake) for the Christmas season. It did not come out very dark. I think I would need to add more browning or fruits. The cake tasted great though. It did not come out grainy and it also held it's shape well.

I had put fruits to soak in alcohol about a month ago and blended it last week. The recipe was really simple. For the fruits, I had only used raisins, cherries and prunes. I decided to use what was available in the supermarket at the time. I do not like mixed peel and currants so I left those out. For the rum, I had used Angostura White Oak Rum because that was the only rum available in the house and I decided to try it out. Check out the recipe below.

Setting up to soak fruits.

Gluten Free and Dairy Free Black Cake (Fruit Cake) Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup prunes, seeded and chopped
3 cup raisins
½ cup cherries, chopped in half
1 cup cherry brandy
1 cup rum (dark / white)
1 cup solid extra virgin coconut oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
5 eggs
1 tsp grated lime peel
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups Doves Farm Gluten Free Plain White Flour

1 tbsp Bob's Red Mill gluten free baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup browning (burnt sugar & water)
3/4 cup mixture of rum and cherry brandy

Method

1. At least a week before baking the cake, combine prunes, raisins, cherries, cherry brandy and rum in a sealed glass container. 
2. Process soaked fruit mix. 
3. Line two 8” round cake pans with double layers of parchment paper. 
4. Cream Coconut oil and sugar until light and fluffy. 
5. Beat in eggs one at a time; add lime peel and vanilla. 
6. Combine sifted flour, baking powder and cinnamon; fold into creamed mixture gradually. 
7. Add fruit and enough browning to give desired colour; stir well. 
8. Put in lined baking pans ¾ full and bake in a preheated oven at 121°C (250°F) for 1st hour; reduce heat to 93°C - 107°C (200°F - 225°F) for remaining 1 ½ hours or until tester comes out clean. 
9. Prick hot cake and soak with a mixture of rum and cherry brandy. Cover and set aside. 
10. As alcohol soaks in pour more and continue to do so for 12 hours.

Recipe adapted from: The Multi-cultural Cuisine of Trinidad & Tobago & the Caribbean, Naparima Girls' High School Cookbook