INGREDIENTS
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- 175 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter – chopped
- 210 g (1 packed cup) light brown muscavado sugar
- 400 g (2 ⅔ cups) mixed dried fruit
- 200 g (1 cup) glacé cherries – roughly chopped
- 100 g (1 cup) dried cranberries
- zest and juice of 1 orange
- zest of 1 lemon
- 120 ml (½ cup) cherry brandy
- 85 g (½ cup) ground almonds – coarsely ground – not the type that is like flour
- 3 large eggs – lightly whisked
- 200 g (1 ⅔ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
To feed the cake:
- cherry brandy – (1-2 tbsp per week)
INSTRUCTIONS
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Take a large saucepan pan and add the butter, sugar, dried mixed fruit, glacé cherries, cranberries, orange & lemon zest, and juice and all but 4 tbsp of the cherry brandy.175 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter,210 g (1 packed cup) light brown muscavado sugar,400 g (2 ⅔ cups) mixed dried fruit,200 g (1 cup) glacé cherries,100 g (1 cup) dried cranberries,zest and juice of 1 orange,zest of 1 lemon,120 ml (½ cup) cherry brandy
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Heat on a medium heat until the mixture comes to a gentle bubble, then turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool for 30 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 150C/300F (fan) and line a 20cm (~8inch) spring-form round cake tin (with a removable base) with baking parchment (I find it’s easier to line the sides first so they’re about 2″ above the cake tin, then cut out a circle for the base and push it in).
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Add the ground almonds into the slightly cooled fruit mixture and mix, then stir in the eggs.85 g (½ cup) ground almonds,3 large eggs
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Add the flour, baking powder, and spices and fold together until everything is just combined.200 g (1 ⅔ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour,½ tsp baking powder,1 tsp ground mixed spice,1 tsp ground cinnamon,¼ tsp ground allspice
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Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth flat with the back of a spoon.
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Bake for 45 minutes, then turn down the heat to 140C/275F (fan) and cook for a further 1-1+½ hours, until the cake is dark brown on top and an inserted skewer comes out clean (note: if you’re using a gas oven, the cake may take 15-30 minutes longer to cook). Cover the top of the cake with foil if it starts to darken too much.
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Take it out of the oven, and whilst it’s still hot, use a skewer to make about 10-12 holes all over the cake.
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Pour the 4 tbsp cherry brandy all over the top of the cake.
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Leave the cake to cool in the tin. then remove it and wrap it in a double layer of baking parchment and then in a double layer of foil. Place in an airtight container at room temperature.
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Feed with 1-2 tbsp cherry brandy once a week up until a few days before you marzipan and ice the cake.cherry brandy