Guyana Black Cake

Discover the rich, festive flavors of Guyana with this traditional Black Cake recipe, a Caribbean holiday staple brimming with deeply soaked dried fruits and aromatic spices. This decadent cake is made with raisins, currants, prunes, and candied peel that are steeped in dark rum for days—or even weeks—resulting in an intensely flavorful and moist texture. Enhanced by warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and darkened to perfection with authentic browning syrup, this luxurious dessert is a true embodiment of Caribbean Christmas traditions. Perfectly paired with an extra splash of rum as a finishing touch, this cake not only gets better with time but makes for a delightful centerpiece at any festive gathering. Whether you're celebrating the holidays or simply craving a rich dessert steeped in culture, Guyana Black Cake will transport you with every bite.

Nutriscore Rating: 58/100

Prep Time:60 mins

Cook Time:150 mins

Total Time:210 mins

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 2 cups raisins
• 2 cups currants
• 1 cup prunes
• 1 cup mixed candied peel
• 2 cups dark rum
• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.5 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 0.5 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1 teaspoon almond essence
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 0.5 cup browning (burnt sugar syrup)
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 0.5 cup additional dark rum (for soaking)

Directions

Step 1

Chop the raisins, currants, prunes, and candied peel into fine pieces, or process them in a food processor. Place the fruits into a large bowl and soak them in 2 cups of dark rum for at least 24 hours, or up to several weeks for a richer flavor.

Step 2

Preheat your oven to 275°F (135°C). Line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and grease it thoroughly.

Step 3

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.

Step 4

In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Step 5

Beat the eggs into the butter mixture one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.

Step 6

Stir in the almond essence, vanilla essence, lemon zest, and orange zest.

Step 7

Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing gently but thoroughly.

Step 8

Stir in the soaked fruit mixture along with the liquid. Add the browning (burnt sugar syrup) and mix until the batter is a rich, dark color.

Step 9

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

Step 10

Bake in the preheated oven for 2.5 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 11

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 12

Once cool, brush the cake with additional dark rum. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or foil and store it in an airtight container for a few days to allow the flavors to develop further.

Step 13

Before serving, optionally sprinkle more rum over the cake for added moisture and flavor.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	2710.8 grams (2710.8g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	7894

Total Fat 129.90g	167%
Saturated Fat 66.50g	333%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.30g
Cholesterol 1364mg	455%
Sodium 1197mg	52%
Total Carbohydrate 1314.90g	478%
Dietary Fiber 60.10g	215%
Total Sugars 904.90g
Protein 97.50g	195%

Vitamin D 246IU	1230%
Calcium 1097mg	84%
Iron 35mg	194%
Potassium 7681mg	163%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 17.1%

Protein: 5.7%

Carbs: 77.1%