Burnt Sugar Fruitcake With Whiskey Glaze From Surbhi Sahni

Directions

1. Make the rum soaked nuts: Combine nuts, raisins, whiskey, and rum in a container with an airtight lid. Nuts and fruit should be fully submerged in the alcohol, so add more if needed to cover them. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 weeks but up to 3 months before using.
2. Make the burnt sugar: Add sugar to a medium dry saucepan over medium heat. Shake the pan to evenly distribute the sugar granules. Cook, stirring frequently, until sugar bubbles,caramelizes, and turns very dark in color, 6 to 8 minutes (sugar may clump a bit but it will all melt toward the end). Remove from heat and carefully whisk in water (it will bubble and steam a lot, so use caution!). Return to medium heat and simmer sugar until all the granules melt, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl; set aside to cool at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
3. Make the cake: Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom of a 9-inch-round cake pan with neutral oil or non-stick cooking spray, then line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Strain rum soaked nuts through a fine-mesh sieve (reserving alcohol), and place nuts in a mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of reserved alcohol and set aside. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add both sugars. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Stop the mixer to scrape down the sides as needed. Meanwhile, sift all but ⅓ cup flour, salt, baking powder, ginger, and garam masala twice into a large mixing bowl. Sift remaining flour into a separate bowl. Add 2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks to butter-sugar mixture and mix on medium speed until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add burnt sugar and mix to combine, about 1 minute. Slowly add dry ingredients, orange juice, and reserved 2 tablespoons of alcohol alternately to batter, beginning and ending with dry mixture, until batter is smooth and well incorporated. Do not overmix. Stir remaining flour into the strained nuts and toss until flour has evenly coated the nuts. Gently fold coated nuts into the batter until just combined. Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the 2 egg whites vigorously until firm peaks hold. Remove from the stand mixer. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold into the cake batter, stirring just until no white streaks remain.
4. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes, then loosely tent the cake with aluminum foil. Reduce the oven to 325°F. Bake until deep golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 to 70 minutes more.
5. Make the rum syrup: Place ⅔ cup of reserved alcohol, orange juice, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. As soon as the cake is removed from the oven, brush the top with a little more than half the syrup. Let cool for 15 minutes, then use a butter knife to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Remove from the baking dish and transfer to a piece of parchment paper. Brush the sides of the cake with half the remaining syrup, then let the cake cool completely. Serve at room temperature and drizzle slices with any additional syrup. To store, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.