For Many Caribbean Immigrants, It Wouldn't Be Christmas Without Black Cake
Many in New York's large Caribbean diaspora cling to the rich, molasses-spiced cake filled with drunken dried fruits. It takes months to prepare and is central to festivities throughout the islands.
Susan Adolphus James has one vivid memory of childhood Christmases on the island of Beaulieu, Grenada: black cake.
"Christmas don't feel like Christmas if you don't have a piece of black cake," says James, who moved to the U.S. as a teen.
The rich, molasses-spiced cake filled with drunken dried fruits is a part of Christmas festivities throughout the Caribbean. The cake likely evolved from recipes British colonizers brought to the West Indies in the 18th century. Islanders modified these recipes, incorporating local ingredients and liquors. With time, black cake became a staple on
