To keep cake for 3-4 months and to make it deliciously moist, prick top and bottom of cake with a skewer and spoon 2 tbsp brandy over it every 2-3 weeks.
Ingredients
- 225 g butter
- 225 g light soft brown sugar
- 1 tbsp black treacle
- 5 eggs
- 250 g plain flour
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1 tsp grated nutmeg
- 50 g ground almonds
- grated rind of 1 lemon
- grated rind of 1 orange
- 100 g almonds , chopped
- 75 g glace cherries, chopped
- 175 g raisins
- 250 g sultanas
- 350 g currants
- 100 g chopped mixed peel
- 2 tbsp brandy
- 2 tbsp orange juice
Cooking Process
- Line and grease a 23 cm/9 inch round cake tin or a 20 cm/8 inch square tin.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy . Beat in the treacle, then the eggs, adding a little of the flour after the first one.
- Mix the remaining flour with all the dry ingredients. Fold into the creamed mixture . Stir in the brandy and orange juice.
- Turn into the tin and level the top. Protect the outside of the tin with newspaper .
- Bake in a cool oven for 3 1/2 hours or until a metal skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool in the tin for 20 minutes , then turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
- Store wrapped in foil.
Bon Apetite!