Black cake, the Caribbean version of fruitcake, often contains few visible bits of fruit. Not owing to stinginess, mind you: The Guyanese grandmother who prepared these cakes incorporated Italian plums, sour cherries, red flame and golden raisins, and currants from the Little Wrinkles larder. Traditionally, however, the fruits are minced, then macerated for weeks or even months (I don't know the details on the timing, only that the macerating liquid combined rum and port wine). The dark color, a consequence of burnt-sugar syrup, contrasts in this instance with a single vibrant slice of candied turmeric.
Black cake is very dense; though these are personal-sized cakes ($8), you might be inclined to enjoy them just a slice at a time. Even so, the texture is very yielding, especially compared with that of the bricklike fruitcakes currently stacked on store shelves. Black cakes, I imagine, are rarely regifted.
Little Wrinkles
www.LittleWrinkles.com
At the autumn 2013 New Amsterdam Market; see website for future pop-up locations
