Bellyful Mango Rum Cake

Black cake soaked in mango rum, dense and dark and slow.

This is the Bellyful house cake, baked in St Kitts with a Nevis-season twist. We start from the federation's Christmas black-cake method, fruit steeped for months, then turn it toward the summer harvest: ripe mango folded through the batter and the whole cake fed with Brinley Gold Shipwreck Mango Rum until it will take no more. The Brinley family have blended flavoured rum on St Kitts since the old electronics plant closed in 2002, and their mango expression is what gives this cake its back note. A maker collaboration, made in small runs.

Heavier than a sponge, closer to a pudding. It keeps for weeks and improves in the first one.

The facts. 800g cake, serves 10 to 12. Contains wheat, egg, and alcohol (the rum is not baked off). Contains tree nuts. Keeps six weeks unopened in a cool cupboard. Ships worldwide from St Kitts.