Vegan Jamaican Black Cake
Vegan Black Cake is a dairy-free, eggless version of the classic Jamaican black cake recipe. This eggless black cake is just as moist, fruity, spiced and boozy as the original. Serve this popular Caribbean cake during the holidays as a special treat!
Servings: 10 servings
Equipment
- 8-inch Round Cake Pan plus an additional baking pan to hold water
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer to cream the butter and sugar
- Wooden Spoon for folding in ingredients
- Large Mixing Bowl to combine the ingredients
- Measuring Cups liquid and dry, to accurately measure ingredients
- Measuring Spoons to accurately measure ingredients
- Rubber Spatula/Scraper for scraping out the cake mixture from bowl
- Whisk optional, needed if no hand mixer
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Plant-Based Butter softened to room temp. plus more for greasing baking pan
- 1 cup Dark Brown Sugar packed
- 1 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
- 1 cup Fruit for Christmas Cake pureed until smooth, with the rum and wine listed below. OR use the quick soak method for preparing fruit. See notes.
- 2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 4 tbsp Browning or Homemade Browning Sauce
- 2 tbsp Molasses
- 1/2 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Ground Allspice
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour spooned and leveled
- 1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum to be added to fruit when pureeing
- 1/4 cup J. Wray & Nephew Red Label Wine to be added to fruit when pureeing
- Juice from 1/2 Lime
- Zest from 1/2 Lime
For After Baking
- 1/2 cup J. Wray & Nephew Red Label Wine to pour overtop cake as soon as it comes out the oven or as desired
- Red Label Wine and White Overproof Rum combined as desired, to spritz cake every few days.
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C) and prepare a 8-inch round cake pan by greasing the bottom and sides using butter. Set aside an additional cake pan of water to be placed at the bottom of the oven during the baking process.
- Add the butter and dark brown sugar to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and cream on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 5 to 6 minutes). Set aside.
- Add applesauce and pureed fruit mixture to another large bowl, then add the vanilla, browning, molasses, lime juice and zest and mix until combined. Then in another bowl, add the flour, breadcrumbs, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, baking powder, salt and gently whisk until incorporated.
- Pour applesauce-fruit mixture into the butter-sugar mixture, and mix well with a wooden spoon. Lastly, fold in the flour until well combined.
- Pour cake mixture into prepared cake pan and place into the oven along with the additional cake pan of water underneath (on the bottom rack) to ensure the cake does not dry out. Bake for approximately 2 hours (baking times will vary), cake is ready when a toothpick comes out clean or almost clean after inserting into the center of the cake.
- Once cake done, remove from oven and place cake pan on a cooling rack. Then, pour 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of J. Wray & Nephew Red Label wine evenly overtop while hot. Allow to soak into cake. Then when completely cooled, remove cake from pan, slice and enjoy!
Notes
Browning - this is key to getting the deep rich colour that makes black cake "black". Depending on the brand of browning, you may need more or less than the amount listed. I used the Grace brand, other brands such as Bedessee Jamaica Pride brand you will need less. Also, be careful not to use too much (depending on brand) as it can leave a bitter after taste.
Storage (Room Temp) - after cake has cooled, store in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in a combination of parchment paper and aluminum foil, or just foil. Open every few days and refresh cake with a spritz of rum and wine.
Nutrition
Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 2g | Sodium: 311mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 1mg