Big Mamma's Amalgamation Cake
This exquisite cake belongs in the
league of other towering old-time creations such as Lane cake and
Lady Baltimore cake. Sonya Jones took the sketchy instructions Mamie
Coppedge Maynard passed down to granddaughter Joan Morris and
brought it back to life, dressing it up with sugared pecans.
Cookbook author Virginia Willis refined the
method.
For the cake:
2 sticks (1 cup)
unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for the pans
3 cups
all-purpose flour, more for the pans
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup whole
milk, room temperature
5 egg whites, room
temperature
For the fruit filling:
5
egg yolks, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1
stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup raisins
1 cup
sweetened grated coconut
1 cup chopped
pecans
For the boiled white frosting:
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cream
of tartar
2 egg whites, room temperature
For
the sugared pecans (optional):
1 tablespoon unsalted
butter
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
2 cups pecans
1/2 cup granulated sugar
For the
cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Butter and
flour two 9-by-2-inch cake pans. Set aside. Sift together 3 cups
flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Place butter in
the bowl of an electric mixer. Cream on
medium-low speed and
gradually add the sugar. Continue mixing until pale
yellow.
Alternating between the dry and wet ingredients,
starting and ending with dry, add the flour mixture and milk to the
butter mixture. Set aside. (The batter will be very stiff and
thick.)
In a clean second bowl of an electric mixer fitted
with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, 3 to
5 minutes. Take a cup or so of the beaten whites and whisk it into
the batter. Fold the remaining beaten whites into the batter. Divide
the batter between the prepared pans.
Bake until the tops are
pale golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes clean, 35
to 40 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool slightly. Invert the cake
layers onto a rack to cool completely.
For the
filling: Combine the yolks, sugar and butter in a medium,
heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until
the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is thick and
candylike, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the
raisins, coconut and pecans. Set
aside and keep
warm.
For the frosting: In a small, heavy
saucepan, combine the sugar, water and cream of tartar. Heat over
medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved.
Increase heat to a boil. Do not stir anymore. Boil, washing down
sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water from time to
time
to prevent the sugar from crystallizing, until a candy
thermometer registers 240 degrees, about 5
minutes.
Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted
with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed
until soft peaks form, about 2 1/2 minutes.
Remove the syrup
from the heat when the temperature reaches 240 degrees.
Pour the
syrup in a steady stream down the side (to avoid splattering) of the
bowl containing the egg white mixture, with the mixer on medium-low
speed. Beat frosting on medium speed until cool, 5 to 10 minutes.
The frosting should be thick and shiny.
For the sugared
pecans: Heat oven to 300 degrees. Butter a rimmed baking sheet. Set
aside. Combine the egg white and water in a medium bowl. Whisk until
foamy, about 2 minutes. Add pecans and stir to coat. Place the sugar
in a second medium bowl. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pecans to
the bowl of sugar. Toss to coat. Transfer the coated nuts to the
prepared baking sheet. Bake until crisp, about 25 minutes. Transfer
to a rack to cool completely.
To assemble the cake: Place one
of the cooled cake layers on a cardboard cake round. Spread with
half the fruit filling. Top with the second layer, bottom side up,
and top with remaining fruit filling.
Ice the sides of the
cake with the reserved boiled icing. Garnish with sugared
pecans.
Cakes and Bakery
Delights Recipes