Grooms Boot Cake Food

DECADENT DIRT CAKE: SIGNATURE GROOM'S CAKE OR SPECIAL OCCASION CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and lightly flour a large Bundt pan or alternatively use a vegetable release spray.
• Place the rack at the center of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees F.
• Melt, do not boil, butter, sugar, chocolate, and coffee in a medium-sized saucepan with the hot water, until the sugar is dissolved. Cool completely and pour into a large mixing bowl.
• Set the mixer on slow to medium speed.
• Sift together the combined flours and cocoa. In a separate bowl, combine the beaten eggs, vanilla, and coffee-flavored liqueur.
• Add the flour mixture alternately with egg mixture to the basic chocolate mixture. This is a thin mixture do not over beat. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and place into the preset oven.
• Bake for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours at 300 degrees F.
• Check with a skewer to be sure the cake is cooked through.
• Cool the cake for 20 minutes before removing it from the pan.
• Barely melt the chocolate in a double boiler over gentle heat. Remove from the heat source and pour into a large mixing bowl then cool for five minutes. Add the butter, cream, vanilla, coffee-flavored liqueur, and mix on medium speed until the mixture thickens. Finally add the confectioners' sugar in small batches until the mixture holds a medium peak. If the kitchen temperature is warm, and the icing is not of spreading consistency place the bowl in the refrigerator for a few minutes, then recommence mixing. Slather the icing over the cake with an offset palette knife.

GROOM'S CAKE

Steps:

• Grease a round 8-inch pan, 3 inches deep. If you don't have one, use any straight sided round mold at least 3 inches deep. Whatever you use, it must fit into the steamer pot.
• For the steamer, use a Dutch oven or a large pot with a cover; fill with approximately 2 1/2 inches of water. On the bottom of the pan put a small wire rack or Mason jar ring, which will lift the cake pan just enough to allow the water to circulate freely. Place over medium heat and let the water heat while you prepare the cake batter.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until it is smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is smooth and blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until light and fluffy.
• Stir the lemon juice and grape juice together in a small bowl.
• Combine the flour, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves, and stir them together with a fork or whisk.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter sugar mixture alternately with the combined juices in three parts, beating until smooth and blended after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest, raisins, citron, and almonds, and mix well.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Cover with a double thickness of foil, pressing it snugly all around the edges to seal. Set the pan on the rack or ring in the steamer, cover tightly, and let the cake steam for about 2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure the water hasn't boiled away in the steamer and replenishing if necessary. After 1 1/2 hours insert a wooden skewer or broom straw in the center of the cake; if it comes out clean, the cake is done.
• Remove the cake from the steamer and let it rest uncovered for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. Well wrapped, the cake will keep for about a week at room temperature. Freeze it if you are making it more than a week ahead of time.
• The Fannie Farmer Baking Book.