This is simple fruit cake topped with fruit and nuts. It is great to serve in thin slices with coffee at the end of Christmas Day. It makes a lovely gift.

Ingredients

• 150 gram packet glacé cherries
• 1 cup sultanas
• ½ cup raisins
• 1 cup toasted whole almonds
• ½ cup brandy, stout or orange juice
• grated rind 2 lemons
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 100 grams butter
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1¼ cups flour

Topping

• 1½ cups whole nuts (Brazil, almonds and/or hazelnuts)
• ½ cup glacé fruits (papaya, pineapple or cherries)
• about ½ cup redcurrant jelly
• sliver cachous
• borage flowers to decorate with (optional)

Method

1. In a bowl combine the glace cherries, sultanas, raisins, almonds, brandy, lemon rind and spices. Cover and leave overnight.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well.
3. Sprinkle over the sifted flour and fruit mixture.
4. Turn into a greased and floured 20cm ring tin.
5. Bake at 170°C for about 50 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
6. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out on to a cake rack to cool.

To decorate

1. Heat the redcurrant jelly and toss the whole nuts and glace fruit in the jelly. Arrange on the top of the cake.
2. Quickly flash the cake under a hot grill to slightly caramelise the topping. Add cachous and whole cherries to the decoration.