Guyana Black Cake

This rich moist cake is served at weddings and at Christmas.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 2
• Yields: 2 CAKE

Ingredients

• 1  lb raisins
• 1⁄2 lb currants
• 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

Directions

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”.