The Nov. 15 indoor celebration brings Caribbean cake tastings, holiday food, cultural traditions and a premium Rum Room to Fort Lauderdale
One is a golden butter cake soaked with rum sauce. The other is dark, fruit-rich and shaped by recipes that change from island to island and family to family.
Guests can taste both when the Rum Cake & Caribbean Black Cake Festival returns for its fifth annual edition Sunday, Nov. 15, from 2 to 6 p.m. at The Venue Fort Lauderdale, 2345 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors.
Presented by Island SPACE Caribbean Museum and Caribbean Professionals Network, the indoor festival invites guests to sample Caribbean rum cakes, black cakes and holiday specialties, meet the bakers behind them and purchase cakes for holiday entertaining and gifts. The festival is supported by Broward County Cultural Division and The Venue Fort Lauderdale.
“Put rum cake and black cake side by side and Caribbean people immediately have opinions,” said Calibe Thompson, executive director of Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, in a press statement. “The conversation about ingredients, regional origins, recipes and how long the fruit or cakes need to soak is at the heart of the festival. Guests can taste the differences for themselves, meet the bakers and leave with cakes and gifts for the holidays.”
The festival began as an intimate tasting for 25 guests in 2022 and welcomed approximately 700 attendees in 2025, just three years later. This year’s move to The Venue Fort Lauderdale creates room for a larger Hall of Bakers and an expanded indoor holiday experience.
Caribbean Cakes Take Center Stage
Inside the Hall of Bakers, guests will encounter different approaches to Caribbean rum cake and black cake.
Rum cake is generally a golden, buttery cake finished with rum sauce. Black cake is much darker, with dried fruit, spices, liqueur and spirits contributing to its color, texture and flavor. Preparation methods and ingredients vary among countries, individual bakers and family traditions.
The tasting experience gives guests an opportunity to compare those variations while speaking directly with participating bakers. Cakes will also be available for purchase and holiday ordering.
General admission includes entry to the festival and access to cake and holiday-specialty sampling in the Hall of Bakers, cultural programming and the Holiday Marketplace.
A Caribbean Holiday Experience Under One Roof
Beyond the cake tasting, guests will find curated Caribbean culinary offerings available for purchase, along with holiday drinks including coquito, cremas, sorrel and more.
The Holiday Marketplace will feature Caribbean-made and Caribbean-inspired gifts, artisan products and museum merchandise for holiday gift-giving.
Guests ages 21 and older may select the premium Rum Room ticket, which includes general festival admission and a guided Rum Sommelier Experience featuring Caribbean rums and curated food pairings. Rum Room capacity is limited to 150 guests.
Live cultural programming will include Jamaican Jonkonnu, Bahamian Junkanoo and French Caribbean Fanal and Festival of Lights traditions.
Popular social media personality and event host Raul Blaze will lead an afternoon of music, trivia, giveaways and audience activities.
Children are welcome, and the general festival environment is family-friendly. The event is indoors and wheelchair accessible. Valet parking will be available.
Event Details
What: Rum Cake & Caribbean Black Cake Festival
Edition: Fifth annual
When: Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026, from 2 to 6 p.m.
Where: The Venue Fort Lauderdale, 2345 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, FL 33305
General admission: $20 through Oct. 15, $30 from Oct. 16 through Nov. 14 and $40 at the door
Children: $10 for ages 4–12; free for children 3 and younger
Rum Room: $65 through Oct. 15, $75 from Oct. 16 through Nov. 14 and $85 at the door
Parking: Valet parking available
Information and tickets: islandspacefl.org/cakefest26
This is a Hy-Lo News Staff Report.
Sign up for our weekly email newsletter and watch our weekly LIVE podcast news show every Thursday at 7pm. Subscribe to our YouTube page to get alerts for the show.
Do you have news to share? If so, send Hy-Lo News your story ideas by clicking here.
0 comments on “Golden Rum Cake or Dark, Fruit-Rich Black Cake? South Florida Festival Invites Guests to Taste the Difference”