Island Fruitcake With Cinnamon Rum Cream Cheese Icing Recipes

CARDAMOM SPICED CARROT CAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE ICING

Steps:

• For the cake:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 3 (8-inch) round cake pans and line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper. Spray the paper and pans with baking spray. Set the pans aside until ready to use.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the oil and sugars together until combined. Mix in the vanilla and add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the carrots and pineapple and mix until combined.
• In a large bowl sift together the 2 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom and cinnamon. With the mixer speed on low, add the flour mixture to the carrot mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined. In a small bowl, toss the pecans with the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour. Fold the pecans into the batter.
• Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 35 to 45 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans on wire racks for 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and cool completely on the racks.
• While the cakes are cooling, prepare the icing. In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and cream cheese together until well combined. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the confectioners' sugar. Mix until combined. Add the vanilla and white chocolate. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside 1 cup of icing for decoration. Add the heavy cream and beat until combined.
• To frost the cake, arrange 1 cake layer on a cake plate. Spread the top with the cream cheese icing and top with a second and third cake layer, spreading the icing between each layer. Spread the icing on top and around the sides of the cake. Apply the almonds to the sides of the frosted cake. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a star tip, with the reserved icing and pipe a border around the top of the cake. Cut the cake and serve.

LAYERED FRUITCAKE WITH CREME FRAICHE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat oven to 400. Butter three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment cut to fit, and butter parchment.
• Whisk together flours, confectioners' sugar, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl.
• Finely chop fruits and peels; coarsely chop almonds. Mix with brandy.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually beat in granulated sugar. Raise speed to medium-high, beating until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a large bowl. Sprinkle a third of the flour mixture over the peaks, and fold with a spatula until just combined. Gently fold in another third of the flour mixture. Toss brandied fruits and nuts with remaining flour mixture, then fold into batter.
• Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, and smooth tops. Bake until golden brown and cakes pull away slightly from sides of pans, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool in pans on wire racks for 20 minutes. Run a knife around edges to loosen, then invert cakes onto racks to cool completely. (Cakes can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated overnight.)
• For the frosting: Beat cream cheese with a standing mixer on medium-high speed until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and beat in confectioners' sugar. Raise speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Switch to the whisk attachment. With mixer on low speed, beat in 1 1/2 cups cream and the vanilla. Add creme fraiche, and beat until smooth, scraping sides of bowl as needed. (Frosting is best used the day you make it; refrigerate it in an airtight container until needed.)
• To assemble: Place 4 1/2 cups frosting in a large bowl, refrigerating remainder for glaze. Whisk until very stiff peaks form. Place 1 cake on an inverted baking sheet lined with parchment. Brush with 2 tablespoons jam. Using an offset spatula, spread 3/4 cup frosting over jam. Repeat with second cake, 2 tablespoons jam, and 3/4 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake. Refrigerate remaining 3 cups frosting. Freeze cake for 1 hour.
• Spread remaining 3 cups frosting over top and sides of cake, smoothing with an offset spatula. Freeze for 1 hour.
• For the glaze: Add remaining 1 1/2 cups cream to the refrigerated frosting, and whisk until combined. Place cake on a wire rack set on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a ladle, spoon glaze over cake, allowing it to drip down sides, until cake is covered. (You will have a generous amount of leftover glaze. The glaze on the cake will appear slightly translucent but will become more opaque when chilled.) Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Using 2 spatulas, transfer cake to a serving platter or a cake stand. Sprinkle sanding sugar over top, and gently toss it onto sides to coat entire cake. Wipe sugar from edges of platter. Garnish with sugared lemon zest if desired. Serve immediately.