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1
Place the dried fruit in a glass or ceramic bowl and cover with the Guinness stout, the muscatel or brandy and 1/4 cup of the rum.
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2
Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 days (and up to several weeks -- the preferred method).
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3
Check the mixture every other day: if the fruit has soaked up all the liquor, add another splash of rum or stout and stir.
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4
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
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5
Grind the fruit mixture to a mushy pulp in a blender or food processor.
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6
Measure out 2 cups of the mixture and set aside.
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7
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar.
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8
Beat in the eggs one at a time.
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9
Add the vanilla, nutmeg and burnt-sugar coloring; mix well
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10
In another bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder
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11
Add, alternately, the fruit mixture and dry ingredients to the batter, mixing until just incorporated after each addition.
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12
Do not beat.
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13
Pour the batter into a 9-by-1 1/2-inch deep round pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
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14
While the cake is still warm, splash the remaining 1/4 cup of rum over the top.
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15
Let cool.
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16
The finished cake is quite moist, almost like an English plum pudding.
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17
It is at its best when served a day or two after baking, and it will last for two weeks or more if kept in the refrigerator and occasionally topped up with rum.
