Bajan Black Cake

Ingredients

• 5 lbs mixed dried fruits (raisins,currants, prunes, cherries)
• ¼ lb chopped nuts
• ½ lb mixed citrus peel
• 1½ to 2 lbs brown sugar
• 2 tbsp mixed spice (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg etc.)
• 10 eggs
• 1 cup rum
• 12 ozs flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 lb margarine
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup port wine
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp almond extract
• 1 cup water
• ¼ lb pineapple jam
• browning

Directions

1. Mince the fruit and soak in 1 cup of rum with spices, essences, nuts, jam and ¼ lb sugar.
2. Mix ingredients well and put in a jar, cover and allow mixture to steep for 3 weeks or more.
3. When ready to bake, cook fruit over a low heat with 1 cup of water for 15 minutes (this preliminary cooking of the fruit shortens baking time of cake and reduces the possibility of the cake burning).
4. Cream the butter/margarine and remaining sugar well and add eggs beating in one at a time.
5. Then add this to the fruit mixture.
6. Stir in enough browning to make the mixture dark brown in color.
7. Add the flour and baking powder last.
8. Place mixture into baking pans -greased and lined with 2 sheets of waxed paper.
9. Fill the pans ¾ full.
10. Bake in a 300 °F oven for 2½ to 3 hours.
11. Test with skewer before removing from oven.
12. As soon as cakes are removed from oven, prick all over with skewer and pour slowly over them a mixture of rum and wine which the cakes will absorb.
13. Allow to remain in baking pans for 2 to 3 days to fully absorb liquor before serving.