slice of Jamaican black cake with confectioner's sugar dusting on a white plate with a fork

Jamaican black cake, fruit cake, rum cake, Christmas cake – whatever you call it, we can all agree that it is delicious! This Jamaican black cake recipe features an insanely rich and moist cake made with prunes, raisins and cherries that have been rehydrated in a mixture of bold Appleton dark aged rum, Red Label port wine and Cointreau orange liqueur. To top it all off, cake cake is then brushed with extra rum to emphasize the bold Caribbean flavors!

Jamaican black cake, like sorrel, is enjoyed year-round but is especially popular at Christmas-time and, contrary to popular belief, it’s incredibly easy to make!

Enjoy black cake plain or dress it up with a lime-flavored royal icing glaze or a dusting of confectioner’s sugar. Alternatively you can also serve it warm with a scoop of your favorite ice cream!

Check out these recipes for more Jamaican treats that are perfect for your holiday table!

key ingredients for Jamaican black cake

Dried fruit. Prunes, raisins and cherries for a classic and traditional taste.
Cake flour. Gives a more tender texture than all-purpose flour.
Browning. Gives the cake its signature dark color and contributes to its richness.
Dark, aged rum. Aged rum has a less sharp taste and warmer notes that match the flavor of the cake
Red Label wine. A sweet port wine that helps to even out any harshness of the rum
Orange liqueur. Added for a subtle but well needed zesty note. I use Cointreau but feel free to use your favorite.
Brown sugar. Complements the rich flavors and adds extra warmth. Brown sugar also has a higher water content (in the form of molasses) and helps to make the cake moist.
Butter. Used to help carry all the bold flavors.
Oil. Helps make the cake soft and not too dense.
Eggs. Help bind all the ingredients
Spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg & allspice to complement the rich flavors

Jamaican black cake being glazed with royal icing

tips for the best black cake & frequently asked questions

How long should you soak the fruits for Jamaican black cake? Only until the dried fruits are completely rehydrated. Many Jamaicans stick to a traditional practice and soak the dried fruits for months or even a year and, while you’re welcome to do it, it’s not necessary.
For this recipe, simply heat the fruit along with all the alcohol and then allow it to soak until cool. The heat speeds up the osmotic process that allows the fruit to plump and rehydrate.

Use dark, aged rum. Rum becomes darker the longer it is aged and also develops sweeter and warmer flavor notes. Unfortunately these deeper flavors often come with a premium price tag. However not all dark-colored rums can attribute their color to aging only as some rums have a large amount of caramel color added. This Jamaican-distilled Appleton Estate 12-year aged rum is my favorite and I find it easily at most liquor stores. The Signature Blend for the same brand is an 8-year rum and is also a great (and cheaper) option. If you’re looking to splurge the 15 & 21-year rums have an unmatched flavor and are incredibly smooth – perfect for any dessert, particularly this Jamaican black cake!

Brush your cake with extra rum while it’s still warm. A warm cake will absorb liquid more readily and help prevent existing moisture from leaving the cake in the form of steam ultimately making the cake super moist!

How can I prevent my royal icing from crusting? The egg white (in the form of the meringue powder) helps the icing form a crust for it to “set” however in non-tropical or low-humidity climates it can cause all of the icing to harden instead of just a thin outer crust. Adding glycerin to the royal icing will help prevent excessive crusting.

Use an oven thermometer. I recommend one for all my cake recipes. Oven can have hotspots and/or run higher or lower than the presented reading so an oven thermometer takes the guess work out of baking. I use this one and love that the meter itself is outside the oven making it convenient to read.

how to make Jamaican black cake

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 325°F.

Step 2. Add the prunes, raisins and dried cherries to a microwave safe container along with the dark rum, red wine and orange liqueur. Microwave for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is hot but not scalding. Cover and allow to soak for about 30 minutes or until the mixture has come to room temperature.
Alternatively, you can heat the fruit mixture on the stove. Heat until it comes to a gentle simmer then remove completely from the heat and cover to soak until it has come to room temperature.

soaking prunes, rasins & dried cherries in Appleton dark rum, Red Label wine & Cointreau orange liqueur

Step 3. Once the fruit mixture has cooled to room temperature, blend (including the remaining liquid) until smooth and set aside.

pureed soaked fruits for making Jamaican black cake

Step 4. Sift the cake flour, salt, baking soda & baking powder into a bowl. Set aside.

Step 5. Add the butter, brown sugar, blended fruit, browning, cinnamon, nutmeg & allspice to a bowl and mix until smooth.

Step 6. Add all the eggs and the orange juice and mix again until completely incorporated.

Step 7. Add the dry ingredients (set aside earlier) to the fruit mixture and fold it in by hand until there are no visible clumps of flour.

Jamaican black cake batter in a glass Kitchen Aid bowl

Step 8. Transfer the cake batter to a bundt pan prepared with baking spray. Alternatively this Jamaican black cake recipe can make 2 8-inch cakes.

Jamaican black cake batter in a nordic ware blossom bundt pan

Step 9. Bake at 325°F for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs.

Step 10. Once the cake is done brush the top with the remaining 2-ounce portion of dark rum. If using a bundt pan only use half of the rum for this stage, saving the other half to brush the top of the cake once it is removed from the pan.
Cover the cake(s) with plastic wrap or a cake dome while it cools to keep it moist.

Jamaican black cake in a Bundt pan being brushed with Appleton 12-year rum

Step 11. Serve as desired – plain or with an optional dusting of confectioner’s sugar or a royal icing glaze.

Jamaican black cake made in a Nordic ware blossom bundt pan on a red cake stand

how to make a royal icing glaze

Step 1. Add all the ingredients to a small bowl whisk until smooth. Spread or drizzle across the top of your cake(s). If using a bundt pan the royal icing will run down the sides and towards the hole in the middle slowly but the mixture should be thick enough to prevent it being completely absorbed into the cake.