2 c Mixed diced glaceed fruits
2 c Golden raisins
1 c Dark raisins
1 1/2 c Dried currants
1/2 c Halved glaceed red cherries
-plus
; additional for garnish
1/2 c Chopped glaceed angelica;
-(available at
; specialty foods
; shops)plus
; additional for
; garnish
3/4 c Plus 1 tablespoon dark rum
1 1/2 c All-purpose flour
1/2 ts Double-acting baking powder
1/2 ts Salt
1/4 ts Freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 ts Ground ginger
2 Sticks unsalted butter;
-softened (1 cup)
1 c Firmly packed brown sugar
5 lg Eggs
1 c Blanched almonds; toasted
-lightly,
; cooled, and ground
; fine in anelectric
; spiced grinder
1/2 c Chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 c Apricot jam
In a large bowl combine well the glaceed fruits, the raisins, the
currants, 1/2 cup of the cherries, 1/2 cup of the angelica, and 3/4
cup of the rum and let the fruits macerate, covered, overnight.
Line the bottom of a well-buttered 9 1/2-inch springform pan with a
round of wax paper and butter the paper. Into a small bowl sift
together the flour, the baking powder, the salt, the nutmeg, and the
ginger. In the bowl of an electric mixer cream together the butter
and the brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy and beat in
4 of the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Drain
the fruit mixture in a sieve set over the batter and beat the juices
into the batter. Pat the fruits dry between several thicknesses of
paper towels and in a bowl toss them with 1/3 cup of the flour
mixture. Stir in the remaining flour mixture into the batter, one
fourth at a time, stir in the fruit mixture, the ground almonds, and
the walnuts, stirring until the mixture is just combined, and turn
the batter out into the prepared pan.
Put 2 loaf pans, each filled with hot water, in a preheated 300F.
oven and put the springform pan between them. Bake the cake for 1
hour, brush the top with the remaining egg, beaten lightly, and bake
the cake for 1 hour more. While the cake is baking, in a saucepan
melt the apricot jam with the remaining 1 tablespoon rum over
moderate heat, bring the mixture to a boil, and strain it through a
fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on the solids.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes, remove the
side of the pan, and invert the cake onto the rack. Remove the pan
bottom and the wax paper very carefully, invert the cake onto another
rack, and let it cool completely. Arrange the additional cherries and
angelica decoratively on the cake, brush the top of the cake with
some of the apricot glaze, reserving the remaining glaze for another
use, and store the cake, wrapped in plastic wrap and foil. The cake
keeps, covered, for 6 months.
Yields
1 servings