Rum-infused pound cakes in the 6" gift size and individual bundts. All photography by Katharine Pollak | THE NIBBLE.

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July 2010

Product Reviews / Main Nibbles / Cookies, Cakes & Pastries

Caribbean Rum Cake

Caribbean Cake Connoisseurs Dishes Out Traditional & Modern Caribbean Flavors

CAPSULE REPORT: While we taste a lot of rum cake, we rarely get the “black” and “brown” varieties that are treasured by residents of the Caribbean. Caribbean Cake Connoisseurs offers these varieties as well as more mainstream flavors for American palates. The cakes are available in individual and large bundts, as well as in loaves, sheets and layers for special events.

Caribbean Rum Cake Overview

Just last month we wrote about Island Treasures Gourmet rum cakes: pound cakes in seven mainstream flavors that were very popular.

Caribbean rum cakes are a different concept entirely. Also known as Caribbean fruitcake, it is made in a “brown cake” version (with brown sugar) and, with the addition of burnt sugar, “black cake.”

Rum was first made in the Caribbean in the 17th century, distilled from sugar cane juice or molasses. Culinary historians believe that what is today known as “Caribbean rum cake” originated as a steamed pudding, brought to the Islands by English settlers in the mid-seventeenth century and modified by the African slave cooks.

Along the way, the cooking method changed from steaming to baking, and the ingredients were somewhat altered. (See our review of Sticky Toffee Pudding to learn more about steamed English puddings.)

These black and brown rum cakes are what the locals enjoy in the Caribbean—at weddings, christenings and for Christmas. They are very different from what most Americans think of as rum cake—a pound cake soaked in rum syrup that can be flavored with vanilla, lemon and other popular flavors. Caribbean Cake Connoisseurs bakes delicious, moist and nicely rummy cakes to serve two audiences: those who want the authentic black and brown Caribbean rum cake, and those who love pound cake moistened with rum. The ingredients are very high quality, the rum is plentiful, the cakes are dense and the flavors are pronounced, as they should be. The traditional black and brown cakes are available in a variety of formats—loaves, rounds, sheets and bundts.

A black rum cake, intensely flavored with raisins and dates.

The moist cakes remain fresh for 3 to 6 months (up to a year for the larger cakes). Rum is a powerful natural preservative.

Rum Cake Flavors

Choose between the traditional black and brown cakes, or Angie’s Rum Cake (named after owner Angela Price) in popular cake flavors.

Angie’s Rum Cake: Original, Banana, Chocolate and Coconut Rum Cakes. Delicious pound cakes deftly flavored, these disappeared quickly. The individual sizes make great stocking stuffers. Black Rum Cake. Not the type of fruit cake most Americans and Brits are familiar with, traditional Caribbean Rum Cake is made with finely ground raisins, prunes and cherries that are steeped for months in premium rum and wine. The flavor is very raisiny, rummy and serious. The flavor profile has an intensity that may not fly with those who like a rummy vanilla or chocolate pound cake. Brown Rum Cake. We didn’t get to taste this flavor, but if it reads the script, it will be lighter in flavor than the burnt-sugar black cake. It’s available with or without nuts.

Banana rum cake, topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Find more of our favorite cakes.

*Prices and product availability are verified at publication but are subject to change. Shipping is additional. These items are offered by a third party and THE NIBBLE has no relationship with them.