By Anne Pallett
2.5 lb mixed fruit
2 oz cherries
6 oz butter or margarine
4 oz brown sugar
1 cup water
2 fl.oz brandy
3 large eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
half tsp nutmeg
10 oz self raising flour
2 oz ground almonds
2 oz blanched almonds (op)
Place fruit, water, butter and sugar in a saucepan and bring gently to the boil. for 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
Beat eggs together and add to mix with brandy. Add all the other ingredients.
Turn mixture out onto an 8” greased and lined tin.
Cook for half an hour at Gas mark 2 (300o F or 150oC). Then turn heat down to Gas mark 1(275o F or 140oC) for 2 hours.
Leave cake to cool in tin. Turn out and lace with a few glugs of brandy before you wrap up, and a few more glugs before you marzipan and ice.