The fruits will need to be soaked in rum and sugar at least 7 days before making cake. Put aside a little flour to flour the fruits before adding to batter. This keeps fruits from settling at the bottom of the cake.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating constantly. Add flour, baking powder and spices into the butter, sugar and eggs mix with a spoon. Then add stout and colouring to the mixture. Beat for about 4 minutes at high speed. In a separate dish pour the rum off the fruits.(The rum should be kept to add to the finished cake after cooling) Flour fruits and add to the batter.
Heat oven to 300ºF. While the oven is heating just let batter "settle" a while. Line baking pan with aluminum foil or wax paper. Grease lightly with butter. Spoon batter evenly into the buttered pan about 3/4 full. Bake in slow oven for about 3 hours. Insert toothpick in center and it should come out clean when done.
When cake is completely cool sprinkle rum all over. The cake can also be garnished with cherries and walnuts.
Flavouring improves with storing. You can sprinkle cake again with rum, brandy or wine before storing.
In Belize Black Fruit Cake is popular during the holidays.