Rum Fruit Pound Cake

Directions

1. 1
   If you don't have any dried fruit in liqueur, make an easy version the day before.
2. 2
   If you have some already, skip ahead to Step 4
3. 3
   Put the B. ingredients in a pan that doesn't burn easily, and bring to a boil.
4. 4
   Lower the heat, and simmer and reduce until there's no moisture left in the pan.
5. 5
   Add the C. ingredients to the pan.
6. 6
   Cover with a lid and turn off the heat.
7. 7
   Leave to cool.
8. 8
   The results will be a simplified yet delicious mixed fruit soaked in liqueur.
9. 9
   Whether you're making Batter A or Batter B, break the eggs into a bowl, mix and measure it out properly.
10. 10
    The other ingredients are measured out with the weight of the eggs are 100%.
11. 11
    To beat the eggs, stand a whisk straight up and down in the bowl and move it up and down to break down the egg whites.
12. 12
    Leave the eggs at room temperature.
13. 13
    If the eggs are cold, they are liable to separate.
14. 14
    If you're in a hurry or if it's wintertime and you're working in a cold kitchen, leave the bowl of eggs suspended over a lukewarm water bath (a bit cooler than bath water).
15. 15
    Sift the A. floury ingredients together.
16. 16
    Leave the unsalted butter out or microwave it to soften.
17. 17
    If you microwave it, make sure you don't melt it.
18. 18
    If you are using Batter B, add the finely chopped (or ripped up) raw marzipan to the bowl that contains the butter.
19. 19
    If you are using Batter A, skip ahead to Step 11.
20. 20
    Mix the raw marzipan well with the butter while mashing it with a spatula.
21. 21
    Scrap and press it several times against the sides of the bowl until they are well blended.
22. 22
    This step takes some work, but if you look at the mixture well from several angles, you will see that there are some bits of unblended marzipan.
23. 23
    Make sure to incorporate them completely into the butter.
24. 24
    Whip and cream the butter (if you're using Batter A) or the butter-marzipan blend (if you're using Batter B) to incorporate as much air into it as possible.
25. 25
    Add the sugar and sweetener to the whipped butter in 2 batches.
26. 26
    Beat them in well each time.
27. 27
    Push the butter towards the center of the bowl occasionally with a spatula so that it gets beaten evenly.
28. 28
    I do Steps 12 through 17 with a handheld electric mixer, but you can use a whisk as shown in the photos.
29. 29
    See Steps 18 and 19.
30. 30
    Add the beaten eggs from Step 5 to the butter mixture little by little, whisking it well between additions so that the batter doesn't split.
31. 31
    I add about 1/2 to 80% of a ladleful at a time.
32. 32
    Tip: If you accidentally pour in a lot of the egg and the batter starts to split, add a little bit of the sifted flours from Step 7.
33. 33
    If you're using a whisk, keep beating the batter to incorporate lots of air until your hand is exhausted and the batter is light and fluffy.
34. 34
    Add the honey and mix it in.
35. 35
    Tip: Incorporating lots of air into the batter (i.e.
36. 36
    to aerate it), is of course key to the texture of the final cake.
37. 37
    If you want a heavy cake, use a handheld whisk.
38. 38
    If you want a tender cake, I recommend using a handheld electric mixer and whipping the batter for a long time.
39. 39
    If you are using homemade fruit in rum (Step 3), if it has lots of liquid, drain it off and measure out what you need into a separate bowl.
40. 40
    Sprinkle in a little of the sifted flours from Step 7.
41. 41
    This recipe contains quite a lot of dried fruit.
42. 42
    You can reduce it if you prefer.
43. 43
    Store any leftovers in a jar that's been sterilized with boiling water, and use in other cake or bread recipes.
44. 44
    You probably already know this, but by draining the fruit and dusting it with flour, you can prevent it from sinking to the bottom of the cake while it's baking.
45. 45
    If you're using the store bought dried fruit I recommend you can use it as-is.
46. 46
    Add the sifted flours from Step 7 to the Step 17 batter in 2 to 3 batches, while mixing it in with a cut-and-fold motion with a spatula.
47. 47
    Make sure not to mix it around as if youre kneading bread dough.
48. 48
    When the batter in Step 23 is about 90% mixed, add the dried fruit and the rum and cut them into the batter (until the batter is shiny).
49. 49
    Again, make sure not to over-mix.
50. 50
    Pour the batter into a pouncake pan or any mold or tin you like.
51. 51
    When the pan is filled, drop it onto your countertop from about a 20 cm height.
52. 52
    Put the filled pan into a preheated 180C oven, and bake for 45 to 60 minutes.
53. 53
    The baking time depends on your oven, so test it with a bamboo skewer.
54. 54
    While the cake is baking, make the syrup.
55. 55
    Put the water and granulated sugar in a small pan or frying pan over medium heat.
56. 56
    Mix to dissolve the granulated sugar.
57. 57
    Turn the heat off when it comes to a boil.
58. 58
    Add the rum to the syrup, mix well and leave it to cool.
59. 59
    The syrup is done.
60. 60
    When the cake is baked, drop the pan onto your countertop from a height once to prevent it from shrinking.
61. 61
    Brush the top with the syrup.
62. 62
    Take the cake out of the pan, and leave it to cool laid on its side.
63. 63
    Tip: If you leave the cake to cool for too long, it will dry out and lose its tenderness, so don't leave it for longer than 30 minutes.
64. 64
    About 15 to 30 minutes is right.
65. 65
    When the cake has cooled down a bit, brush the whole surface with syrup, and wrap it up in 2 to 3 layers of plastic wrap.
66. 66
    If you can wrap it over the plastic with aluminum foil it will be even better.
67. 67
    I refrigerate the cake at this point.
68. 68
    The cake is stiff when it has been refrigerated, so take it out 1 to 2 hours before eating it It tastes the best when it's served in ideal conditions.
69. 69
    If you have unexpected guests...wrap slices of the cake in plastic and microwave at 500W for about 7 seconds.
70. 70
    If you're microwaving several slices, adjust the time.
71. 71
    The cake is best eaten from the next day onwards.
72. 72
    Try to resist eating it the day you bake it.
73. 73
    The cake becomes more moist as the days pass.
74. 74
    This is one I baked in a different mold.
75. 75
    Please use any pan or mold you have on hand.
76. 76
    If you're using the L sizecake pan from cuokaxCHIYODA, a cake made with 350 g of mixed dried fruit and 70-80 g of butter fills one pan.
77. 77
    If you're using a batter with raw marzipan in it...this recipe will fill 3 of the above pan (393 g of batter - about 653 g per pan when weighed).
78. 78
    This pan makes cake that's quite square.
79. 79
    There's not a big difference if you use 300 g of fruit.
80. 80
    If you like long cakes like this, you may want to add a bit of extra batter.
81. 81
    The cake in the step-by-step photos is rather long.
82. 82
    It keeps pretty well in the refrigerator.
83. 83
    Take it out of the refrigerator several hours before eating for the best flavor.
84. 84
    Even after 10 days, it's nice and moist inside.
85. 85
    This rum and butter cake is packed with rum-scented fruits.
86. 86
    It's not flashy, but I love the classic flavors.