CONTEST DESSERTS: Black Cake (3 versions)

BLACK CAKE (3 versions)
Adapted by BumbleBeeBoogie

Version #1
CHARLES DICKENS' COOK' S BLACK CAKE

2 pounds all-purpose flour
2 pounds granulated white sugar
2 pounds butter
19 large eggs
5 pounds raisins
1-1/2 pounds currants
1-1/2 pounds candied citron
1/2 pint brandy
1/2 pint molasses
2 whole nutmegs
5 teaspoons each of ground cloves, mace, and cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons salt

In a very large bowl (or a clean wash tub ), cream together the butter and sugar; add the nineteen eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the dried and candied fruits, stirring after each addition. Add the brandy and molasses and stir to mix. Get the parlor maids to help with this chore. 

In another large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar-egg mixture; beat to thoroughly combine. Get the butler and strong footman to help with this chore. 

Preheat a very large oven at 350 degrees F. Grease as many cake pans as needed for the quantity of cake batter. Bake for about 3 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Mr. Dickens' cook used a milk pan, and baked the Black Cake for six or seven hours. Them that helped get to 'ave a piece of the cake. 
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A CIVILIZED VERSION #2:
BLACK CAKE

Fruit marinade:

1 pound raisins, minced
1 pound pitted prunes, minced
1 pound dried currants, minced
1 pound candied cherries, minced
6 ounces candied lemon peel, minced
6 ounces candied orange peel, minced
1 bottle (1-11/2 cups) Manischewitz Concord Grape wine
1 bottle (1-1/2 cups) dark rum

In a large bowl, combine the raisins, prunes, currants, cherries, peels, wine, and rum and let the fruit macerate, covered, at room temperature for at least 2 weeks.

Burnt sugar syrup:

2 pounds dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup water

In a heavy skillet, combine 1 pound of the brown sugar and 1 cup water; bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat, stirring and washing down any sugar crystals clinging to the side of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water until the sugar is dissolved. Boil the syrup, swirling the skillet occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it is reduced to 1-3/4 cups. Let the burnt sugar syrup cool and reserve it.

Cake batter:

4-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons double acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Into a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

4 sticks (2 cups) unsalted butter, softened
10 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the remaining 1 pound of brown sugar and the butter until the mixture is light and fluffy; beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and egg mixture, and 1-1/3 cups of the reserved burnt sugar syrup, reserving the remaining syrup for another use. Add the fruit mixture and beat to thoroughly mix.

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F.

Divide the batter between 2 buttered and floured 10-inch springform pans.

Bake the cakes in the middle of the oven for 1 hour and 50 minutes to 2 hours, or until the cakes are set and a tester inserted in the centers come out with some crumbs adhering to it. (The centers of the cake will be quite moist).

Let the cakes cool in the pans on a rack, remove the sides and the bottoms of the pans and wrap the cakes in foil or wax paper. Let the cakes stand at room temperature for 1 week.

Assemble the cake:

1-1/2 cups almond paste

Roll out half the almond paste between sheets of plastic wrap to form a 10-inch round and remove the top sheet of plastic wrap. Fit the almond paste layer over one cake, trimming the edge if necessary, and remove the other sheet of plastic wrap. Roll out and fit the remaining almond paste onto the remaining cake in the same manner.

Make the frosting:

7 cups confectioners' powdered sugar, sifted
6 large egg whites at room temperature (or equivalent in reconstituted powdered egg whites)
2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
silver dragees for decorating the cake

In a bowl with an electric mixer beat 4 cups of the confectioners' sugar, egg whites, and lemon juice for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the mixture holds soft peaks. Beat in the remaining 3 cups confectioners' sugar and beat the icing until it holds stiff peaks.

Transfer 2 cups of the icing to a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip. Spread the remaining icing on the tops and sides of the cakes with a long metal spatula. Pipe the icing in the pastry bag decoratively onto the cakes. Arrange the dragees on the cakes.

Makes 2 black cakes.
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ANOTHER CIVILIZED VERSION #3:
BLACK CAKE

1 pound dark raisins
1 pound currants
1 pound pitted prunes
1 pound glace cherries
1/2 pound mixed citrus peel
1 quart white rum
1 pound dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 pound butter
12 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
3 ounces burnt sugar syrup
1 quart tawny port

Place raisins, currants, prunes, cherries and peel in a large plastic or glass bowl. Add 1 cup rum. Put through a meat grinder, using a medium blade. Mix with remaining rum so that the ground fruit forms a smooth paste. Cover tightly. Let stand at least two weeks.

Preheat oven at 300 degrees F.

To make the burnt sugar syrup, in a saucepan heat over high heat 1/2 cup granulated white sugar until it melts and is just starting to darken; add 1/4 cup of water and boil until it becomes a thick dark syrup. Reserve.

In a large bowl, cream together the dark brown sugar and butter until fluffy.

In a separate bowl combine eggs, cinnamon and nutmeg and whip until foamy. Combine egg mixture with butter-sugar mixture. Add the ground fruits. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the flour
mixture into the fruit mixture. Add this mixture to the sugar, butter, egg mixture. The batter should be dark brown.

Grease and lightly flour two 10-inch springform pans. Fill with each pan with 1/2 half of the batter. Bake for 2 hours or until a tester comes out clean.

Take pans out of the oven. Let them cool 1 hour, then remove the cakes from the
pans and cool completely on racks. Pour one cup port over the top of each. Let it absorb. After 10 minutes, pour on the remaining port.

Wrap the cakes tightly in plastic wrap and let them age at least 7 days. Do not refrigerate. Makes 2 cakes.