Amalgamation Cake

5 from 5 votes

A forgotten Southern classic, Amalgamation cake is filled with raisins and coconut, iced with homemade frosting and garnished with more coconut and raisins.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Cook Time 40

Total Time 40

Servings people

Calories 529kcal

Author Lisa B.

Ingredients

For the cake:

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk room temperature
5 egg whites room temperature

For the fruit filling:

5 egg yolks room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup raisins
1 cup sweetened grated coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

For the boiled white frosting:

2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 egg whites room temperature

Instructions

For the cake:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Cream on medium-low speed and gradually add the sugar. Continue mixing until pale yellow.
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together 3 cups flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low, add about a third of the dry ingredients. Follow with half of the milk. Repeat the steps, ending with the remaining dry ingredients. Continue to mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until ingredients are thoroughly combined.
In another clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes. Take a cup of the beaten whites and whisk it into the batter. Then gently fold the remaining whites into the batter.
Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until the tops are pale golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool slightly. Invert the cake layers onto a rack to cool completely.

For the filling:

Combine the egg yolks, sugar and butter in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat.
Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is thick, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add the raisins, coconut and pecans. Set mixture aside and keep warm.

For the frosting:

In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water and cream of tartar. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to a boil. Do not stir anymore.
Boil, washing down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water from time to time to prevent the sugar from crystallizing, until a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees, about 5 minutes. Remove the sugar syrup from the heat when the temperature reaches 240 degrees.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 1/2 minutes.
Pour the syrup in a steady stream down the side (to avoid splattering) of the bowl containing the egg white mixture, with the mixer on medium-low speed. Beat frosting on medium speed until cool, 5 to 10 minutes. The frosting should be thick and shiny.
To assemble the cake, place one of the cooled cake layers on plate. You may need to trim the top of the cake to ensure you have a flat surface. Spread the top with half the fruit filling.
Top with the second layer. Spread the remaining fruit filling over the top of the cake only. Ice the sides of the cake with the reserved boiled icing.

Nutrition