Jamaican Black Cake

If you ask anyone in my family what dessert means the holidays, they’ll say Black Cake without even blinking. This is the kind of cake that makes you pause for a second bite — dark, dense, boozy, and deeply spiced. It’s more than a recipe. It’s a tradition.

I grew up knowing this cake as the thing everyone waited for at Christmas, weddings, big celebrations — pretty much any gathering where you wanted to show love in the form of food. My own version leans toward the smooth, pudding-like style, with the dried fruits blended right into the batter so every bite is rich and even.

If you’ve never had Jamaican Black Cake before, you’re in for a treat. It’s not your typical light and fluffy cake — it’s strong-flavored, heavy with soaked fruits, and scented with warm spices. And yes, it’s as dark as its name promises, thanks to burnt sugar and browning that give it that almost-black hue.

Why This Cake Feels So Special

One of the reasons I love making Black Cake is that it forces you to plan ahead. You don’t just throw it together on a whim. You soak the fruits for days or weeks (some folks for months!), stir in dark sugar and browning, then bake it slow and low so it stays moist and lush. It’s almost a meditative thing.

Honestly, I don’t think there’s a single Caribbean family who makes this cake exactly the same. Every household has their tweaks. Some leave the fruits whole, some chop them, some blend them into a paste like I do. Some use more rum than wine, or vice versa. My own version has evolved over the years — I like a very soft texture with all the fruits blended in. I pour a bit of sweet wine over the top after baking, letting it soak in overnight. The smell the next day is magic.

What You’ll Need to Make It Happen

Before you even think about baking, here’s what you’ll need. A few of these things need to be prepped ahead.

Dried Fruits
I use a mix of prunes, raisins, dried cherries, and golden raisins. You can switch it up with currants if you want. I always keep a big jar of fruits soaking in sweet wine in my pantry during the holidays so I’m ready to bake a Black Cake any time.

Red Sweet Wine
Traditionally, Jamaicans use Red Label Wine. I’ve used Manischewitz Concord grape wine in a pinch. Any sweet red dessert wine will do. Don’t worry if you can’t find the exact brand.

Butter, Flour, Sugar, Breadcrumbs, Eggs, Baking Powder
All the basics of a cake, with breadcrumbs added to keep things moist and hold the dense batter together. This is a trick I learned from older relatives who never wrote anything down.

Spices, Lime, Extracts
I’m talking cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, lime juice and zest, vanilla, and almond extracts. Don’t skip the lime — it cuts through the sweetness in the best way.

Browning and Burnt Sugar
These are the secret to the cake’s signature dark color and slightly bitter caramel depth. I pick up both at the local Caribbean store, but you can find them online too. You can even make burnt sugar at home if you’re adventurous.

My Tips on Soaking the Fruit

This step is the soul of Black Cake. I soak my dried fruit in sweet red wine for at least 5 days, though longer is always better. Some people keep their jar going for months. The longer it sits, the more the fruit soaks up the wine — you may need to top it off occasionally.

I like to give the jar a little shake every day or two, just to keep things moving. When I open it after a week, the smell hits me like holiday nostalgia in a jar.

How I Bake My Black Cake at Home

Prep Your Pan and Oven
I use a 10-inch round cake pan lined well so nothing sticks. Grease the sides, line the bottom, and preheat your oven to a low 250°F. This low heat is what gives you that soft, almost pudding-like consistency. Don’t rush it.

Blend the Fruit and Wine
I dump my soaked fruits with the wine straight into the blender and process until smooth. This is what makes my cake silky rather than chunky.

Mix Your Dry Ingredients
In a big bowl, I whisk together flour, breadcrumbs, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. The breadcrumbs are the old-school trick that keeps this cake from drying out despite its long bake.

Cream the Butter and Sugar
This is where patience matters. I beat the butter with dark brown sugar until it’s fluffy and lighter in color. It usually takes 3–4 minutes in my stand mixer, but I’ve done it by hand when I was feeling stubborn.

Add Eggs and Flavorings
One egg at a time, beating well between additions. Then lime juice and zest, vanilla, almond extract — the kitchen smells amazing at this stage.

Combine It All
I gently fold in the dry ingredients. Then comes the blended fruit mixture, burnt sugar, and browning. The batter turns this beautiful, deep brown-black color. It’s thick, but don’t worry — that’s what you want.

Bake Low and Slow
I pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 2.5 hours. You want a skewer or toothpick to come out clean in the center. The cake will be dark, rich, and smell of warm spice and caramel.

Cool and Soak
I let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then turn it out onto a platter. Here’s my favorite part: I drizzle a little extra red wine over the top while it’s still warm. The cake soaks it right up. I usually leave it to cool overnight, covered with foil. By morning, it’s perfectly moist.

My Own Notes from Making This Cake for Years

• I get most of my ingredients from the local grocery store and the Caribbean market here. Browning and burnt sugar are easy to find online if you don’t have a store nearby.
• Some people soak their fruits in a mix of rum and wine. I usually stick to sweet wine for a more mellow, dessert-friendly flavor. But you can go boozier if you like.
• Homemade burnt sugar is its own little ritual. I’ve done it before — it’s a fun, slightly messy kitchen project if you want to really go old-school.
• Black Cake keeps well at room temperature for a couple of days. Not that it lasts that long in my house. My family can demolish one in 24 hours.
• These cakes make amazing gifts. If I’m baking in smaller pans to give away, I just keep an eye on the bake time — they finish faster.

Serving Ideas (from My Table to Yours)

I like to serve this cake in thin slices with a cup of black tea or strong coffee. During the holidays, a little glass of sweet wine on the side is tradition in my family.

For big parties, I’ve seen it covered in royal icing like a wedding cake. It’s beautiful and formal that way, but at home we usually skip the icing and just let the cake speak for itself.

Honestly, Black Cake is more than dessert for me. It’s memories of family, of holidays with music playing, of the smell of burnt sugar bubbling on the stove. I hope if you try this version, it brings a little of that warmth to your table too.

If you do give it a go, I’d love to know how it turned out for you — or what tweaks your family makes to theirs. That’s the beauty of Black Cake. Everyone has a story behind it.

Try other Cake recipes:

• Bisquick Coffee Cake
• Vegan Vanilla Cake
• Sour Cream Pound Cake