Tasting Queens Market Black Cake Recipe

We've made it super easy for you to make your Holiday Black Cakes. Our Black Cake Starters have all the flavoring you'll need for a 1.5 to 2lb cake. The traditional recipe adjustment will also be posted below (taken from a 2013 Queens Chronicle feature of Tasting Queens)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 cup butter

1 2/3 cups flour

8 large eggs

1 TQM Black Cake Starter

1/2 cup chopped peanuts (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 315 degrees:

In a large bowl combine butter and sugar. Mix until sugar is dissolved and butter is white and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Combine TQM Black Cake Starter (and optional nuts), and mix well. In another bowl measure flour amd sift. Add dry ingredients to wet batter in three parts, mixing well after each application. Grease 1 8-10 inch baking pan and pour cake mixture into it. Bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes or until firm to the touch or a stick inserted in the center of cake comes out clear. Let cake rest for 1 hour, remove it from pan then pour 1 cup rum or red wine over it. Add more alcohol once per week or as desired.

Alternate Instructions:

1 cup dried raisi/ns

1 cup dried prunes

1 cup dried currants

4 cups rum or red wine

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 cup butter

1 cups flour

10 large eggs

3 tablespoons burnt sugar or caramel

1/4 cup citrus zest

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon mixed essence

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped peanuts (optional)

For the fruits:

Wash fruits. Using a food processor or blender grind fruits and about three cups of rum or red wine and place in an airtight container. Rum- or wine-soaked fruits can be stored for 10 days to 1 year (Add more wine for longer storage).

Preheat oven to 315 degrees:

In a large bowl combine butter and sugar. Mix until sugar is dissolved and butter is white and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Combine 1-1 1/2 cups fruits (and optional nuts), essence and zest and mix well. In another bowl measure flour and ground spices and salt. Combine well. Add dry ingredients to wet batter in three parts, mixing well after each application. Mix in burnt sugar or caramel and combine until uniformed color forms. Grease two 8-inch baking pans and pour cake mixture into them evenly. Bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes or until firm to the touch or a stick inserted in the center of cake comes out clear. Let cake rest for 1 hour, remove it from pan then pour 1 cup rum or red wine over it. Add more alcohol once per week or as desired.