If you're looking for a delightful dessert that captures the essence of Caribbean flavors without using eggs or alcohol, then this eggless Caribbean black cake is perfect for you! Caribbean black cake is a rich, dense fruitcake with dried fruits and spices. Often soaked in rum, this rich and moist cake is traditionally enjoyed during festive celebrations. It's packed with spices, dried fruits, and a touch of nostalgia. Whether you're celebrating a special event or simply want to indulge in a delicious treat, this recipe is easy to follow and sure to impress. Let’s dive into the world of Caribbean baking and create a cake that’s not only delicious but also suitable for everyone. Make sure to explore our blog for more recipes you absolutely need to try this Christmas by clicking here!
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Easy Eggless Caribbean Black Cake - No Alcohol Recipe
Caribbean-style black cake is a traditional dessert from the Caribbean that has a dark color, dense texture, and rich flavor from ingredients like burnt sugar and molasses. This non-alcoholic version uses an instant soak, incorporating dried fruits such as raisins, cherries, and dates for natural sweetness and chewiness. It's a popular choice for special occasions like weddings and Christmas celebrations.
Recipe Card
Easy Eggless Caribbean Black Cake - No Alcohol Recipe
Caribbean-style black cake is a traditional dessert from the Caribbean that has a dark color, dense texture, and rich flavor from ingredients like burnt sugar and molasses. This non-alcoholic version uses an instant soak, incorporating dried fruits such as raisins, cherries, and dates for natural sweetness and chewiness. It's a popular choice for special occasions like weddings and Christmas celebrations.
Ingredients
- Dates - 120g/ 3/4 cup
- Raisins - 120g/ 3/4 cup
- Cherries - 75g/ 1/2 cup
- Tutti Frutti - 20g/ 3/4 cup
- Grape Juice - 360ml/ 1 ½ cups
- Butter -113g/ 1/2 cup
- Sugar - 100g/ 1/2 cup
- Fruit Jam/ Applesauce - 160g/ 1/2 cup
- Vanilla essence - 15ml/ 1 tbsp
- Lemon zest - 5g approx 1/2 a lemon
- Orange zest - 3g approx 1/4 a orange
- All-purpose flour - 120g/ 1 cup
- Baking powder -4g/ 1 tsp
- Cinnamon powder - 4g/ 2 tsp
- Nutmeg powder - 4g/ 2 tsp
- Salt - 0.75g/ 1/8 tsp
- Browning - 30ml/ 2 tbsp
- Molasses - 30ml/ 2 tbsp
- Powdered Sugar (topping) - 8g/ 1 tbsp
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C, line a cake tin with parchment paper, and set it aside for later.
- In a saucepan, combine the dried fruits.
- Then, add grape juice to the dry fruit mixture.
- Simmer on the stove for 10 minutes until the fruits become soft and plump, then allow it to cool completely.
- Once cooled, transfer the mixture to a mixer grinder.
- Blend it well until you achieve a chunky purée.
- In a bowl, add the butter and sugar.
- Mix thoroughly until the mixture is well combined and fluffy and white.
- Incorporate the fruit jam, vanilla essence, and lemon and orange zest into the butter mixture. Ensure that the jam you use doesn't have strong colors like mine, as it can impact the darkness of the cake.
- Stir well until everything is combined.
- In a sieve, add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, and salt to the butter mixture.
- Mix until well combined.
- Add the fruit purée to the mixture.
- Mix until well combined.
- Then, add the browning and molasses.
- Mix until everything is thoroughly combined.
- Transfer the batter into a lined tin.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 170 °C for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- After baking, let it cool completely, dust it with powdered sugar. Serve and enjoy!
Ingredients
- Dates - 120g/ 3/4 cup
- Raisins - 120g/ 3/4 cup
- Cherries - 75g/ 1/2 cup
- Tutti Frutti - 20g/ 3/4 cup
- Grape Juice - 360ml/ 1 ½ cups
- Butter -113g/ 1/2 cup
- Sugar - 100g/ 1/2 cup
- Fruit Jam/ Applesauce - 160g/ 1/2 cup
- Vanilla essence - 15ml/ 1 tbsp
- Lemon zest - 5g approx 1/2 a lemon
- Orange zest - 3g approx 1/4 a orange
- All-purpose flour - 120g/ 1 cup
- Baking powder -4g/ 1 tsp
- Cinnamon powder - 4g/ 2 tsp
- Nutmeg powder - 4g/ 2 tsp
- Salt - 0.75g/ 1/8 tsp
- Browning - 30ml/ 2 tbsp
- Molasses - 30ml/ 2 tbsp
Recommended Equipment / Tools
- Cake tin (8-inch)
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Saucepan
- Mixer grinder
- Grater
- Whisk
- Sieve
- Saucepan
How To Make Easy Eggless Caribbean Black Cake - No Alcohol Recipe
Note: In the step-by-step directions shown here, I am showing the ingredient measurements for 1.5kg servings of Easy Eggless Caribbean Black Cake - No Alcohol Recipe. You can easily scale the recipe up or down as per your needs.
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C, line a cake tin with parchment paper, and set it aside for later.
2. In a saucepan, combine the dried fruits.
3. Then, add grape juice to the dry fruit mixture.
4. Simmer on the stove for 10 minutes until the fruits become soft and plump, then allow it to cool completely.
5. Once cooled, transfer the mixture to a mixer grinder.
6. Blend it well until you achieve a chunky purée.
7. In a bowl, add the butter and sugar.
8. Mix thoroughly until the mixture is well combined and fluffy and white.
9. Incorporate the fruit jam, vanilla essence, and lemon and orange zest into the butter mixture. Ensure that the jam you use doesn't have strong colors like mine, as it can impact the darkness of the cake.
10. Stir well until everything is combined.
11. In a sieve, add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, and salt to the butter mixture.
12. Mix until well combined.
13. Add the fruit purée to the mixture.
14. Mix until well combined.
15. Then, add the browning and molasses.
16. Mix until everything is thoroughly combined.
17. Transfer the batter into a lined tin.
18. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 °C for 2 hours.
19. After baking, let it cool completely, dust it with powdered sugar. Serve and enjoy!
FAQs
What type of jam should I use?
You can jazz up your cake with any jam or applesauce, but watch out for those bold colors like the one I used! They might mess with the cool black look of your cake.
Why are we mixing the ingredients instead of folding them?
Black cake is dense and moist, so the ingredients just need to be mixed well until they are combined, rather than folded.
Can I skip the molasses and browning?
It's not the best idea to skip molasses and browning since they add that nice richness and color to the cake. But if you prefer, you can use substitutes like honey or maple syrup, just keep in mind that the flavor might be a bit different. Also, don't forget to check out our blog for a homemade browning recipe and an easy molasses substitute!
How can I tell if the cake is done baking?
Stick a toothpick right in the middle of the cake like a little cake detective! If it comes out clean, your cake is baked and ready to rock!
Try this recipe with Ask Foods range of Baking Decoratives.