Guyana Black Cake

By AnnCarveth

Ingredients

• 1 lb raisins
• 1/2 lb currant
• 1/4 lb prune
• 1 cup rum
• 1 1/2 lbs brown sugar, packed (3 1/4 cups)
• 1/2 lb butter
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 lb flour (2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice (nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, allspice)
• 1/4 lb mixed peel
• 1/4 lb chopped nuts (optional)
• ICING FOR BLACK CAKE
• MARZIPAN
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 lb ground almonds (2 cups)
• 1/2 lb icing sugar (confectioner's, 2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon almond essence (extract)
• ROYAL ICING
• 2 egg whites
• 1 lb icing sugar (confectioner's, 4 cups)
• 1 lemon, juice of
• Change Measurements: US | Metric

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

Directions:Prep Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 2 1/2 hrs
1 FOR THE CAKE: Wash and dry fruit. Grind fruit and soak with 3/4 cup of rum. Store, covered, in glass jar to steep for 2 weeks or longer.
2 TO MAKE CARAMEL, heat 1 lb. of sugar in a heavy bottomed frying pan until melted; simmer until dark brown. Let cool.
3 Cream butter and 1/2 lb (250 g) sugar well, add beaten eggs a little at a time; add soaked fruits and rum, stirring well, and enough caramel to make it as dark as desired.
4 Add sifted flour with baking powder and mixed spice. Fold in peel and chopped nuts.
5 Pour mixture into baking pan, greased and lined with waxed paper. Bake in a slow oven at 300°F for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
6 Sprinkle additional rum over cake immediately after it is baked. Repeat a few times. Allow cake to remain in pan for 2 to 3 days.
7 FOR THE MARZIPAN: Beat egg whites to a stiff froth, stir in ground almonds, sugar and almond essence to make a paste.
8 Remove cake from pan, place on a cake plate. Cover top of cake with almond paste. Roll rest of paste thinly to cover sides. Allow to dry 1 day before icing.
9 FOR THE ROYAL ICING: Beat egg whites to a froth, add sugar, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Add lemon juice and sugar and continue to beat until mixture forms peaks.
10 Dip a spatula in hot water and smoother the icing over the almond paste. A second layer may be applied when the first is thoroughly dried.
11 Decorate as desired. If cake is for a wedding choose appropriate colours and decorations. If cake is for Christmas colours chosen may be red and green on white with a Christmas theme.
12 Caribbean Cuisine?.Betty ?K?.