- 225g raisins
- 125g prunes, stoned and chopped
- 225g currants
- 225g sultanas
- 225g dried cranberries
- 60g glace cherries, rinsed and chopped
- 60g mixed peel
- 4 tbsp blended whisky
- 2 oranges, juice and zest
- 275g unsalted butter
- 275g light soft brown sugar
- 5 eggs
- 275g plain flour
- 1 tbsp black treacle
- 60g almonds, chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg, grated
- 3 tbsp apricot jam
1. Mix the fruit, whisky and orange juice and zest in an ANTA Salad Bowl, cover and leave to soak overnight.
2. Preheat the oven 140° / Gas 1. Grease and double line a 23cm loose bottomed cake tin.
3. Wrap a double layer of brown paper around the cake tin and fasten with string. This prevents the cake from burning on the outside.
4.Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat the eggs, add tbsp of flour to prevent the mixture from curdling. Mix in the treacle. Sift flour with the mixed spice and nutmeg. Add about two tbsp to the fruit and stir in. Fold remaining flour and spice into the egg mixture.
5. Stir in the fruits and chopped almonds and ensure the fruit, nuts and cake mix are thoroughly blended.
6. Spoon into the prepared cake tin, leaving a dip in the middle.
7. Bake in the centre of the oven for 4 - 4 1/2 hours. Check the cake after 2 hours and if it looks coloured, cover with a grease proof paper disc and continue cooking until it is firm to the touch and well coloured. Check the cake is cooked by inserting a skewer into the middle of the cake. This should come out clean.
8. Allow to cool in the tin. When cool, wrap the cake in clean greaseproof paper and foil and store in a dry place.
9. About ten days before Christmas, melt the apricot jam and spread over the cake. Top with Almond Paste and Royal Icing.
10. Decorate with holly and serve on an ANTA Serving Plate.