Black Cake - Plum Pudding

The black cake is also known as Christmas pudding or Plum pudding but is best described as a dark rich fruit cake. They tend to be a homemade cakes that are extremely popular at Christmastime. Sometimes it is a family recipe that is used and handed down from generation to generation and a great deal of secrecy surrounds the recipe. It is easily recognised because of its dark color and shape plus distinctive smell, it looks like an up-side-down bowl and it is usual for a sprig of holly to be stuck on top of it.

The cake texture is heavy and is made from expensive ingredients and fruits like plums, figs, suet, treacle, cherries, mixed peal and brown sugars and is soaked overnight before coking in some form of alcohol like brandy, rum or Guinneas. (Irish stout or porter) Preparation is simple as most, or all, of the ingredient and mixed together in a large bowl or basin and left to steep in the chosen beverage.

Cooking is by steaming or boiling for hours on end. The cake is wrapped tightly in a waterproof covering (tightly woven liner cloth) and immersed in a pan of boiling water and the left to simmer. It has to be topped up regularly with fresh water to replace the boiled off water. This cake is a labour of love for cake makers.

Plum Pudding at Christmas

Traditionally served at Christmas time it can be eaten cold but more often it is reheated and served with ice cream or cream. Custard is another favourite compliment to the black cake. Because of the alcohol content a flaming pudding can be served where the surface is coated in warm rum or brandy and set alight. Quite a spectacular sight, but care must be taken when lighting the cake.

These fruit cake have a long shelf life and are very good for storing away. This is due to the alcohol, which preserves the fruit and my mom usually started the making of the Christmas pudding in October every year. Because of the alcohol black cakes and puddings are the best cakes for preservation purposes.

Novelty of the Plum Pudding or black cake

Sometime small items were placed inside the cake and the lucky finder would be guaranteed good luck or wealth during the following year. These items could vary from family to family. Great care was taken with children’s portions to prevent potential swallowing injury.

Small silver coin (for wealth)

Small wish bone (good luck)

Tiny thimble (thriftiness)

Miniature anchor (safety)

Matchstick (fuel)

This recipe was handed down to me by my mom and will make 2 large black puddings which are very easy cakes to make.

Ingredients

• 12oz sultanas
• 12oz raisins
• 12oz brown sugar
• 6oz chopped plums
• 4oz mixed peel
• 4oz glacé cherries
• 4oz apricots
• 8oz butter
• 8oz breadcrumbs
• 6oz flour
• 6 Eggs
• 2 large lemons
• 2 large oranges
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 1 pint porter
• 1 small cup of brandy
• 1 pint cold tea
• Tokens / coins

How to make a black cake

1 Soak all the dried fruit overnight in the brandy and some cold tea.

2 Mix the flour, chopped Apples, grated Oranges, beaten eggs, sugar, butter, breadcrumbs.

3 Fully combine the two concoctions adding the porter (add more tea if needed)

4 Split the mixture into 2 bowls (add any fruit you may have forgotten)

5 Steam for 4 hours

Reheat sliced pudding on a frying pan until slightly toasted and add any flavoring you like. I like cold custard with hot cake but you may prefer hot custard on cold Cake. Either way black cake or pudding is most delicious.