Armagnac prune cake

 
                            ARMAGNAC PRUNE CAKE
 
 Recipe By     : 
 Serving Size  : 16   Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Cakes                            Desserts
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
   12       oz           Pitted prunes
    2       c            Water
      1/4   c            Armagnac or Cognac
    1 1/2   c            Vegetable oil
    2 1/4   c            Sugar
    5       lg           Eggs
    2       tb           Vanilla extract
    3       c            All-purpose flour
    1       tb           Baking soda
    2 1/2   ts           Ground cinnamon
    1       t            Ground nutmeg
    1       t            Ground allspice
      1/2   ts           Ground cardamom
      1/2   ts           Ground cloves
    1       t            Salt
    1 1/2   c            Buttermilk
                         -----GLAZE-----
    1 1/2   c            Sugar
      1/4   c            Unsalted butter
      1/2   c            Armagnac or Cognac
    2       tb           Light corn syrup
    2       tb           Fresh lemon juice
    1       t            Baking soda
                         -----OPTIONAL-----
                         Vanilla ice cream
 
   FOR CAKE: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 F. Butter and
   flour 12-cup bundt pan.  Combine prunes, water and Armagnac in heavy medium
   saucepan.  Simmer until prunes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain prunes,
   reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid for glaze. Coarsely chop prunes.
   
   Beat oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. In
   medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, spices and salt to blend. Mix dry
   ingredients into dry mixture.  Add buttermilk, beating until batter is
   smooth.  Fold in chopped prunes.  Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake
   cake until tester comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Transfer to rack
   in pan.
   
   FOR GLAZE:  Combine reserved 1/4 cup prune cooking liquid, sugar, butter,
   Armagnac, corn syrup, lemon juice and baking soda in heavy large saucepan.
   Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Boil 2 minutes.
   
   Pierce cake in several places with long toothpick or wooden skewer. Slowly
   pour 1-1/4 cups glaze over hot cake.  Reserve extra glaze.  Let glazed cake
   cool in pan 30 minutes.  Turn cake out onto platter.  Cool completely.
   
   Cut cake into wedges.  Serve with vanilla ice cream, passing additional
   glaze separately as sauce.
   
   Bon Appetit - April 1991 Typed for you by Karen Mintzias
  
 
 
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