SPUMONI CAKE - A TASE OF OLD ITALY!

SPUMONI CAKE - A TASE OF OLD ITALY! image

Yield 8 -10 people

Number Of Ingredients 16

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Box of Duncan Hines white cake mix
Package of Pistachio pudding and pie filling mix
½ cup finely chopped roasted/unsalted Pistachios
1 tbsp Almond extract
4 or 5 eggs (usually I use the largest available, so 5 regular may be needed)
1 cup water (may need more if batter is too stiff)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Maybe a drop of green and yellow food coloring, but never seems to be needed with the pudding mix.
Icing mix:
1 lb Confectionary Sugar
2 oz Chopped dried cherries (sweet, or tart as your choice)
1/3 cup Cherry Kijafa liqueur
1 stick of butter, softened
¼ tsp salt (or ½ tsp if sweet butter used)
¼ cup Semi-Sweet chocolate bits (mini bits if available, chop them up if not)
Milk as required for consistency

Steps:

Basic cake: Mix and bake in a 9" x 13" pan that has been buttered and flour coated. Bake at 325 F (actual or 350 F set) in a convection oven or 350 F in a conventional oven. Bake time approximately 35 - 40 minutes. (The usual check with a dry toothpick to come out clean) Let cool in pan, turn out on cooling racks. Cool for 2 -3 hours, at least. Cut the cake into 6 ½" x 9" halves, and again horizontally to make 4 layers. Icing: Chop the dried cherries into 1/8" or so bits, and microwave them briefly (30 seconds?) in the Cherry Kijafa (use a covered container, then chill in the 'fridge to room temp) - Just enough to get them to plump up a bit, but not lose the alcohol content of the liqueur. Mix all the ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes. Add a bit of red (and blue if it is too "Valentine pink") food coloring if desired. Adjust the consistency with more of milk if needed. (More Kijafa works, but the icing begins to curdle and separate) Ice the cake. Chill in the 'fridge for an hour or so. Note that there are other cherry liqueurs, but be sure to use a sweet one. For the teetotalers, Grenadine will work just fine. Also, some Spumoni uses Strawberry instead