Since I announced that I already sent my Rum “Black” Cake for Christmas recipe to the editors of Who is who in the (Venezuelan) Cuisine, I have been getting e-mails, tweets and calls from friends to whom I used to give these cakes as a Christmas present, while I was living in Caracas, or from those who have hear about my cakes.
They were all asking for the recipe and especially for the ‘secret formula’. I had so much fun because there is no secret formula. I will post the recipe for the cake once I bake it (so I can take the pictures) and in the meantime here is the recipe of the rum, nuts, dry fruits and spices mixture that makes this cake so special.
This maceration must be made at least five days (ideally 10 days) before the cake is baked and then saved in an air tight container. The recipe is for a 12 portions cake. I use to multiply it by the number of cakes I plan to bake.
In the past I used to have a kind of solera: saving some of the “mother” maceration for the following year mixture… I did it for more than 20 years, until I moved to Southern California. At that time, I had to start from scratch again and it was the first week of December. So, I managed to recreate the desired density and viscosity, of what I thought it was the result of ageing, by adding some orange confiture. That marmalade saved my life that year and became an official ingredient since then.
Besides dark Ron de Venezuela Santa Teresa Añejo —sold in Venezuela as Gran Reserva— another not to be missed ingredient is Rhum Orange Liqueur, the perfect fusion of the finest añejos, aged for two years in oak barrels, and an exquisite and delicate Valencia orange peel maceration.
While doing the rum, nuts, fruits and spices maceration, everything will smell like heaven… the aromas of the spices combined with those of the rum and rum liquor are so fantastic that you will feel like Christmas and in a few days, will be able to bake your own Black Rum Cake!
Rum, nuts, dry fruits and spices maceration | Ingredients for one cake
¼ cup of chopped pecans
¼ cup of blanched sliced almonds
¼ cup of chopped walnuts
½ cup of orange confiture (orange peel marmalade)
1/3 cup of raisins
1/3 cup of white raisins
½ cup of Ron de Venezuela Santa Teresa Añejo (or Selecto extra aged rum)
½ cup of Rhum Orange Liqueur
½ Tsp. of ground cinnamon
½ Tsp. of ground cloves
¼ Tsp. of ground nutmeg
¼ Tsp. of ground ginger
Mix all the ingredients and save the maceration in an air tight container for at least five days before baking the cake.
To print the recipe click here.
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