Ingredients

• 1kg luxury mixed dried fruit
• 6 tbsp brandy, sherry or orange juice
• 250g butter, plus extra for greasing
• 250g dark muscovado sugar
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 lemon, grated rind
• 50g unblanched almonds, roughly chopped
• 50g toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• 100g ground almonds
• 225g plain flour
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix the dried fruit and brandy, cover and leave to soak overnight. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Grease and double line a 20cm/8in round cake tin or 18cm/7in square cake tin with greaseproof paper.
2. Beat together the butter and sugar for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the lemon rind and nuts.
3. Sift together the flour and spices. Add half the soaked fruit and half the flour to the creamed mixture, mixing well. Add the remaining fruit and flour and mix again thoroughly. Turn into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
4. Bake for 3–3¼ hours until the cake is firm to the touch, dark golden and a fine skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cover with a double layer of greaseproof paper if the top starts to brown too much. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes; turn out on to a wire rack, remove the paper and cool completely.
5. Wrap the whole cake in foil and store in a cool, dry place until you are ready to decorate. If you like an alcoholic hint to it, skewer a few holes in the base and drizzle a few tablespoons of brandy into the cake every 2–3 weeks.

Notes