Jamaican black cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1 cup dried figs
• 1 and 1/4 cups port wine
• 1 and 1/4 cups white rum
• 0.5 cups chopped almonds
• 0.5 cups cognac cherries with liquid (or maraschino cherries)
• 0.5 cups black raisins
• 0.5 cups candied orange peel
• 0.5 cup prunes
• 0.5 cup dark raisins
• 0.5 cup golden raisins
• Juice of 1 orange
• 330 g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pans
• 2 cups premium flour, sifted
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 0.5 tsp ground allspice
• 0.5 tsp ground cloves
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
• A pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon molasses
• 1 tsp. browning *
• 5 eggs

Preparation:

1. In a food processor, combine the dates, figs, 1 cup of port, 1 cup of rum, almonds, cognac cherries with their liquid, all the raisins, candied orange peel, and prunes. Process until finely chopped. Stir in the orange juice. Let sit for at least 2.5 hours, but preferably 2-3 days.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two cake pans with butter and line them with waxed paper.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, molasses, browning powder, and eggs. Gradually add the rum-soaked dried fruit, a little at a time, and mix until evenly combined.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Bake the cakes in a double boiler by filling a large roasting pan halfway with water and then placing the pans with the batter inside. Bake for 1.5 hours.
5. Sprinkle the cakes with the remaining port and rum and let them cool. These cakes will keep for several days wrapped in parchment paper and plastic wrap, and for several weeks in the freezer.
   
   Note *
   
   Browning is a Jamaican sauce made from burnt brown sugar. It can be purchased at specialty stores or online..