Ingredients:
600g raisins
200g currants
100g glacé cherries
250g mixed dried fruits, finely chopped
400ml brandy
300g butter, room temperature
200g dark brown sugar
Zest from 1 lemon
4 eggs, room temperature
300g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
150g ground almonds
150g walnuts, chopped
preheat the oven to 150C/gas 2.
- Line base and sides of a 23cm round or a 20cm square tin with a double layer of greaseproof paper.
- You will need the side lining of greaseproof paper to be at 8cm higher than the round or square tin.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy.
- Grate in the zest of the lemon and beat in the eggs, one at a time. and sifted flour.
- Combine spices and ground almonds. Mix into the butter mixture, alternating with the fruit.
- Finally, fold in the walnuts. Spoon mixture into the lined tin and bake in the oven for about 3 hours.
- Check after 2½ hours and then every 20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean from the center.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, brush with a little more booze. Leave it to cool in the tin.
- Remove after 5 minutes and place the hot cake directly onto a large sheet of tin foil. Wrap it up twice.
- This will retain the heat of the cake for as long as possible. After a few hours, remove cake from foil.
- Wrap the cooled cake up again in a double sheet of greaseproof paper and a double sheet of tin foil.
- Make sure you can access the cake from the top. Store cake in an airtight container for 2–12 weeks.
