Ingredients:
- 1 lb. citron, chopped
- 1 lb. chopped dates
- 1 lb. chopped maraschino cherries
- 3-3/4 c. raisins
- 2-3/4 c. currants
- 1/2 lb. almonds, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 lb. pecans, coarsely chopped
- 1 c. Irish whiskey
Prepare the cake:
- 1 lb. softened butter
- 1 lb. brown sugar
- 15 egg yolks, beaten until thick
- 4 c. all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 tbsp. each - cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg
- 1-1/2 tsp. mace
- 15 egg whites beaten until stiff
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the beaten egg yolks gradually, beating constantly.
- Reserve 1 cup of flour and sift the remaining 3 cups with the spices; then add the sifted ingredients gradually to the butter mixture; beating well after each addition.
- Fold in the egg whites carefully.
- Take the reserved cup of flour and sprinkle over the chopped fruits and nut mixture and mix well. Then fold the fruits into the batter.
- Oil and line a 12-inch spring form pan with waxed paper.
- Place batter in the pan. Bake in a 300 degree F. oven for 2-1/2 hours. (Place pans of hot water in the bottom of the oven while cooking the cake.)
- Cool the cake and wrap in cheesecloth and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Every five to seven days, re-dip the cheesecloth wrapper in whiskey. Before decorating, glaze the top and sides of the cake with apricot jam, thinned with a little water. This will help the marzipan to adhere to the cake sides.
- Shape 2 cans of almond paste into a ball.
- Place on a lightly sugared board and roll into a rectangle 1/8-inch thick.
- The width of the rectangle should match the height and sides of the cake, while the length should match the circumference.
- Circle the cake with the almond paste and trim the edges to fit perfectly.
- Roll up the remaining paste into a ball and flatten into a circle the size of the top of the cake.
- Place the circle on the cake and trim.
- Let the almond paste dry overnight.
- Ice the cake the next day with Royal Icing.
- Beat 2 egg whites with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice until they are the consistency of cream. Beat in 1 pound of confectioners sugar a little at a time. Continue beating, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally, until the icing is smooth and shiny; it will also be very stiff.
- Cover the bowl with a damp cloth if the icing is not to be used immediately. Cover the almond paste with a thin layer of icing. Dip the knife in hot water if the icing is difficult to spread.
- Decorate as desired.
