Ingredients
- 450g/1lb butter
- 450g/1lb dark muscovado sugar
- grated rind of 2 lemons, grated rind
- 8 eggs, size 2
- 500g/1¾lb plain flour
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1.5kg/3lb mixed dried fruit and peel
- 225g/8oz glacé cherries
- 150g/5oz almonds, chopped
- 3 tbsp brandy
Method
- Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Grease and line a 15cm/6in round cake tin and an 18cm/7in round cake tin with a double layer of greaseproof paper, then wrap the tins with a collar of double thickness brown paper — it needs to stand well above the tin.
- Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the lemon rind and eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift in half of the flour with the spice, then mix in half of the fruit and almonds. Repeat with remaining flour, fruit and almonds, then stir in brandy.
- Divide mixture between tins, so that it comes up to the same level in both. Make a slight hollow in the middle of each cake. Stand tins on a baking tray lined with a double thickness of brown paper. Bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 1½ hours, then cover cakes with brown paper to prevent overbrowning. Bake for another 1½ hours or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave cakes to cool in tins, then turn out and store, wrapped in fresh greaseproof paper and foil.
Notes
Makes two cakes: one 15cm/6in round and one 18cm/7in round. Wrap tins with a collar of double thickness brown paper standing well above the tin. Bake on centre shelf. After 1.5 hours cover with brown paper to prevent overbrowning, then bake a further 1.5 hours or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in tins, then store wrapped in fresh greaseproof paper and foil.