Black Cake

Ingredients

1/4 lb cherries
1 lb local dried fruits (or raisins)
1 cup rum
1 1/2lbs. brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 lb flour
12 eggs
4 oz orange or lemon peel
1/2lb butter

Instructions

Grind dried fruits and soak it in 3 cups of rum. Store in an air tight container for three weeks. Prepare the caramel by heating 1 lb of the the sugar until it turns dark brown. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, soaked fruits, and rum. When it is well blended, pour the caramel. Add the flour with the baking powder and mixed spice. Fold in the cherries. Pour mixture in a baking pan and bake in a slow oven (about 300 degrees F.) for two hours. Remove cake from pan after two days.