Black Cake Recipe | Epicurious

Ingredients

• 2 cups (500g) pitted prunes
• 3½ cups (500g) currants
• 1¼ cup (250g) dried pitted cherries
• 1 cup (150g) raisins
• 1 cup and 2 Tbsp. (100g) candied citrus peel
• 2 cups (500ml) brandy
• 2 cups (500ml) good-quality dark rum, plus extra to brush
• 1 Tbsp. Angostura bitters
• 2¼ cups (500g) demerara sugar
• ⅓ cup plus 2 Tbsp. (100ml) freshly boiled water
• 3½ cups (400g) self-rising flour
• 1 cup plus 1 Tbsp. (100g) ground almonds
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2½ tsp. mixed spice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 4 sticks plus 3 Tbsp. (500g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2⅔ cups (500g) caster sugar
• 8 free-range eggs
• 2 tsp. good-quality vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. almond essence