Vegan Trinidad Black Cake (vegan Christmas rum cake)
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Trinidadian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 16 slices
 
This vegan Trinidad black cake is moist, dense and filled with fruits and alcohol. It's the perfect vegan alternative to a traditional Trini Christmas favourite.
Ingredients
  • ⅔ cup chopped dried fruit*
  • ½ cup each cherry brandy & dark rum, more if necessary
  • ¼ cup vegan butter
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup prune puree
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp each vanilla & almond extract
  • zest of half a lime
  • ¾ cup all purpose flour**
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp each allspice & nutmeg
  • ¼ cup slivered almonds, divided
  • 4 tsp vegan browning, more or less to preference**
Instructions
For the fruits
  1. Combine the dried fruits, cherry brandy and dark rum in an airtight container and set aside to soak for at least 3 hours, preferably 1 - 3 days or longer if you can
  2. Ensure that the alcohol completely covers the fruit at all times. Add more if necessary.
  3. Once you're ready to bake the cake, puree the fruits in a food processor or blender until you get a chunky jam-like mixture and set aside
For the black cake:
  1. Preheat the oven to 280F (not a mistake!), line an 8 inch cake pan with parchment paper and set aside
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
  3. Beat in the prune puree and pumpkin puree and mix until well combined
  4. Add the vanilla and almond along with the lime zest and beat once more
  5. Carefully whisk or stir in the flour, baking powder and spices being careful not to over mix
  6. Fold in the fruit and rum mixture along with 2 tbsp almonds and mix until just combined
  7. Finally, add the browning and mix until the batter is evenly coated
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top with a spatula then top with remaining 2 tbsp slivered almonds if desired
  9. Bake for 65 - 80 minutes or until the sides of the cake begin to pull away from the parchment paper and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean
After baking
  1. Once the cake is done, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, about 5 - 10 minutes
  2. Carefully pierce the cake with a toothpick or fork then drizzle with 1 - 2 tbsp more brandy and/or rum
  3. You can continue to do this ever 12 - 18 hours for the next few days if desired but I stopped with one
  4. Allow to cool completely before slicing
Notes
*I used a mix of raisins, sultans, chopped prunes, glazed cherries, mixed peel and sultanas
**Can sub flour for equal parts unbleached spelt flour if desired
***If you can't find vegan browning you can either leave it out if you don't mine your cake being lighter than usual or you can make your own by carefully burning 2 parts sugar in a heavy bottomed pot until it's dark brown or almost black then stirring in 1 part water. Allow to cool before using.
Recipe by Diary of an ExSloth at https://exsloth.com/vegan-trinidad-black-cake/