LAURIE COLWIN'S BLACK CAKE

LAURIE COLWIN'S BLACK CAKE image

Categories Orange

Yield 40 pieces

Number Of Ingredients 20

1 LB raisins, minced
1 LB pitted prunes, minced
1 LB dried currants, minced
1 LB glaceed cherries, minced (I have
substituted dried cherries with good result)
6 oz glaceed lemon peel, minced
6 oz glaceed orange peel, minced.
1 bottle dark rum
1 bottle (750 ml) Manischewitz Concord Grape
4 1/4 cups all purpose flour
4 tsp. double-acting baking powder
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (the freshly
grated is important)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 sticks (2 cups, one pound) unsalted butter,
softened
10 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups almond paste
burnt sugar caramel

Steps:

Combine the fruits, wine and rum in a large non-reactive container, cover tightly, and allow to soak for at least two weeks. (I give it a month) Into a bowl, sift together the flour, the baking powder, the nutmeg and the cinnamon. In the large bowl of a mixer, cream the butter, and the remaining pound of brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, the flour mixture and 1 1/2 cups of the Burnt Sugar Caramel. In another large bowl combine the flour mixture and the fruit mixture, and combine well. Divide between two 10 inch springform pans and bake in a preheated 350° oven for 1 hour and 50 minutes to 2 hours or until the cakes are set and a tester inserted into the center comes out with some crumbs adhering to it. (The centers of the cakes will be quite moist.) Let the cakes cool in the pans on a rack, then remove the bottom and sides and wrap in foil or plastic wrap. Let stand for at least a week. Finishing the cake. Black cake must be iced. To finish the cake, roll enough almond paste out to make a circle as big as the cake and about 1/8-inch thick. Carefully fit the layer over the cake, and trim as necessary to fit. Frost the cake with the icing, and decorate as usual.