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Ingredients

  • 225g/8oz plain flour
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp mixed spice
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 200g/7oz butter
  • 200g/7oz dark brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp black treacle
  • 1 tbsp marmalade
  • ¼ tsp vanilla essence
  • 4 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
  • 800g/1¾lb mixed dried fruits
  • 100g/3½oz chopped mixed peel
  • 150g/5oz glace cherries, halved
  • 100g/3½oz blanched almonds, chopped
  • brandy
  • To decorate
  • 200g/7oz marzipan
  • 1-2 tbsp apricot jam, warmed
  • royal icing
  • 3 free-range egg whites
  • 600g/1lb 5oz icing sugar, sieved
  • 1½ tsp liquid glycerine - optional
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

  • STEP 1
    Heat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas2. Grease a 20cm/8inch round or an 18cm/7inch square cake tin and line the bottom and sides with baking parchment.
  • STEP 2
    Sieve the flour, salt, mixed spice and cinnamon into a bowl.
  • STEP 3
    Cream the butter and the sugar in a large mixing bowl and then mix in the sugar, treacle, marmalade and vanilla essence until light and fluffy.
  • STEP 4
    Mix the eggs a little at a time into the mixture adding a tablespoon of flour mixture with the last amount.
  • STEP 5
    Fold in the remaining flour mixture until well mixed and then mix in the dried fruit, mixed peel, glace cherries and the almonds.
  • STEP 6
    Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and make a slight hollow in the centre.
  • STEP 7
    Bake in the oven for 3 hours and then test with a skewer. If not ready bake for up to another hour testing every 20 minutes until the skewer comes out clean.
  • STEP 8
    Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes.
  • STEP 9
    Turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool.
  • STEP 10
    Once cool, make a few holes in the cake with a skewer and pour over 3-4 tbspof brandy. Let the brandy soak into the cake.
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