Guyanese Black Cake

Cake:

1 lb. raisins

½ lb. currants

¼ lb. prune

1 cup rum

1 ½ lbs. brown sugar, packed (3 ¼ cups)

½ lb. butter

6 eggs, beaten

½ lb. flour (2 cups)

½ tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. mixed spice (nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, allspice)

¼ lb. mixed peel

¼ lb. chopped nuts (optional)

Marzipan:

2 egg whites

½ lb. ground almonds (2 cups)

½ lb. icing sugar (confectioner’s, 2 cups)

½ tsp. almond essence (extract)

Royal Icing:

2 egg whites

1 lb. icing sugar (confectioner’s, 4 cups)

1 lemon, juice of

Preparation:

Cake: Wash and dry fruit. Grind fruit and soak with ¾ cup of rum. Store, covered, in glass jar to steep for 2 weeks or longer. To make caramel, heat 1 lb. of sugar in a heavy bottomed frying pan until melted; simmer until dark brown. Let cool. Cream butter and ½ lb. (250 g) sugar well, add beaten eggs a little at a time; add soaked fruits and rum, stirring well. Add sifted flour with baking powder and mixed spice. Fold in peeled and chopped nuts. Pour mixture into baking pan, greased and lined with waxed paper. Bake in a slow oven at 300°F for about 2 to 2 ½ hours. 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.

Marzipan: Beat egg whites to a stiff froth, stir in ground almonds, sugar and almond essence to make a paste. 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.

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. 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. Decorate as desired.