Grooms Boot Cake Recipes

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.

PRINCE WILLIAM'S CHOCOLATE BISCUIT GROOM'S CAKE

Steps:

• Lightly grease a 6" x 2 1/2" cake ring and place on a tray on a sheet of parchment paper.
• Break each of the biscuits into almond-size pieces by hand and set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until the mixture starts to lighten.
• Melt the 4 ounces of dark chocolate and add to the butter mixture while constantly stirring.
• Beat the egg into the mixture.
• Fold in the biscuit pieces until they are all coated with the chocolate mixture.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake ring. Try to fill all of the gaps on the bottom of the ring because this will be the top when it is unmolded.
• Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
• To coat and decorate: Remove the cake from the refrigerator and let it stand while you melt the 8 ounces of dark chocolate.
• Slide the ring off the cake and turn it upside down onto a cake wire.
• Pour the melted chocolate over the cake and smooth the top and sides using a palette knife.
• Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature.
• Carefully run a knife around the bottom of the cake where the chocolate has stuck to the cake wire and lift it onto a tea plate.
• Melt the remaining 1 ounce of chocolate and use to decorate the top of the cake.