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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Felicity Cloake

Alternative Christmas pudding: how to make Caribbean black cake – recipe

Robert Billington Shivi Ramoutar
Caribbean black cake on a plate, with a cake server and crumbs next to it.
Felicity Cloake’s Caribbean black cake. Photograph: Robert Billington/The Guardian. Food styling: Loïc Parisot.

Granting the Christmas wish of Trini-Irish reader Niall, for whom this cake is an essential part of the festive celebrations, this Caribbean classic is sure to convert even the most convinced fruitcake sceptic, not least because of the generous helping of rum. Each island has its own style, so this recipe is just a starting point: look up ones by Trinidad’s Shivi Ramoutar, Jamaica’s Brigid Ransome Washington and Barbados’ Paul Carmichael, among others, to see the difference.

Black cakes partly gets their colour from browning sauce (from specialist Caribbean food stores), but you can use treacle or make your own.
Black cakes partly gets their colour from browning sauce (from specialist Caribbean food stores), but you can use treacle or make your own. Photograph: Robert Billington/The Guardian. Food styling: Loïc Parisot.
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