You will need:
- 220 g plain flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp mixed spice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 200 g butter
- 2 tbsp black treacle
- 1 tbsp marmalade
- ¼ tsp vanilla essence
- 4 medium eggs, lightly beaten
- 800 g mixed dried fruit
- 100 g chopped mixed peel
- 150 g glace cherries, halved
- 100 g blanched almonds, chopped
- 250 ml orange liqueur , or orange juice
- 200 g brown sugar
Step 1:
Soak 800g mixed dried fruit, 100g chopped mixed peel and 150g glace cherries in 250ml orange liqueur overnight.
Step 2:
The next day, heat your 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 3:
Sieve 225g plain flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon into a bowl.
Step 4:
Cream 200g butter and 200g dark brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and then mix in 2 tablespoons of black treacle, 1 tablespoon marmalade and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence until light and fluffy.
Step 5:
Beat 4 eggs, and fold them a little at a time into the mixture adding a tablespoon of the flour mixture with the last of the eggs.
Step 6:
Fold in the remaining flour mixture until well mixed. Then mix in the soaked fruit mixture with 100g chopped almonds.
Step 7:
Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and make a slight hollow in the centre. Bake in the oven for 3 hours and then test with a skewer. If it's 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. Turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool.
Step 9:
Once cool, make a few holes in the cake with a skewer and pour over 3-4 tbsp of Orange Liqueur. Let it soak into the cake. Store the cake wrapped in foil and in an airtight tin or plastic container, holes side up.
Step 10:
For a rich and moist cake, spoon over a few tablespoons of brandy, Orange Liqueur, or for an alcohol free version use cold tea, every week until you are ready to ice and decorate your cake.
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