Shanti's Style Black Cake

Sorry! Half is gone!

Royal Icing added to cake

Marzipan added to the cake. I place a little bit of Jam first before adding the Marzipan.

Marzipan to cover cake

2 hours after soaked in wine

5 cups mixed dried fruit( raisins, cherries, currants, or prunes)

1 cup ground almonds

1 bottle red wine

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar

3 tbsp molasses

2 cups unsalted butter

2 cups flour

6 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tsp nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves,  and allspice

ICING FOR BLACK CAKE:

MARZIPAN:

2 egg whites or 2 tbsp meringue powder

2 cups ground almonds 

2 confectioner’s sugar 

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp water, if using meringue powder

ROYAL ICING:

3 egg whites or 3 tbsp meringue powder

4 cups confectioner powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp Glycerin-Optional

6 tbsp water, if using meringue powder

Grind fruit and soak with  sweet red wine. Store and cover tightly for 3 months or longer.

FOR THE CAKE: Cream butter and  sugar well, add beaten eggs a little at a time; add 2 cups of the soaked fruits and mix well. Add flour with baking powder and mixed spice. Add ground almond and molasses.

Pour mixture into baking pan, greased with butter and flour. Bake in oven at 350 degree. for about 1 hour. Test with a toothpick, If it comes out clean cake is done

Remove cake from oven, pour wine lightly over cake. Leave cake in pan for about a week, and continue to pour wine lightly over cake every other day.

THE MARZIPAN: Beat egg whites add ground almonds, salt, sugar and almond essence to make a paste.

Cover top and side of cake with marzipan. Let the marzipan set on the cake for a day. 

THE ROYAL ICING: Put powdered sugar in bowl, add cream of tartar, lemon peel and egg whites. 

Beat on high speed for 10 minutes. Keep in airtight container. Decorate cake with Royal Icing and use different colors. 

Tips:
NOTE:::::FOR THIS CAKE, I DIDN'T USE MOLASSES, I MELTED 1/2 OD DARK BROWN SUGAR AND ADD TO THE CAKE MIXTURE.

Wilton Royal Icing Mix and Odense Marzipan works really good, and cut the baking time in half.  Glycerin can be added to Royal Icing to make cutting easier

If you don't want to use Molasses,  then you can use burnt sugar, store bought, or make your own. 1/2 Dark Brown sugar melted on low meat.