Martha Washington's Great Cake
http://www.mercurynews.com/recipes/ci_17355311
Serves 20-28
Cake:
10 large eggs
1 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
5 cups all-purpose flour
2½ teaspoons ground mace
2½ teaspoons ground nutmeg
¼ cup wine
¼ cup French brandy
18 ounces assorted fruit, such as apples, pears, dried cranberries and raisins, chopped or sliced
2 ounces nuts, such as pecans or almonds, chopped or sliced
Frosting:
3 large egg whites
1½ cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons orange extract
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position oven rack in center of oven.
2. Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Set yolks aside. Using the whisk attachment on an electric mixer, beat the egg whites to soft peaks.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, cream the butter with a handheld mixer. Slowly fold in a third of the beaten egg whites until incorporated. Repeat two times, until all the whites are incorporated. Slowly fold in the sugar, a cup at a time.
4. Beat the egg yolks lightly, then fold them in. Fold in the flour until fully incorporated.
5. Fold in spices, wine and brandy. Add fruits and nuts.
6. Pour the batter into a 10-inch tube pan and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the cake tests done. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then unmold onto a cake rack.
7. When the cake is almost cool, preheat the oven to 200 degrees and make the frosting. Using an electric mixer, beat together the 3 large egg whites and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar. Continue adding the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating after each addition.
8. Add the grated lemon zest and orange flavoring. Beat until the frosting is stiff enough to stay parted when cut through with a knife.
9. Smooth the meringue onto the cake. Let it dry and harden in the oven for 1 hour. The frosting will be brittle when cut with a knife. Slice this very dense cake into 20-28 thin slices to serve.
-- Adapted from Mount Vernon recipe, "All Cakes Considered" by Melissa Gray (Chronicle Books, 224 pp., $24.95)
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