Ingredients

1 ½ Kg dried mixed fruit (wash & thoroughly dry)

100 grms flaked almonds (optional)

½ cup brandy, sherry, rum or port

50 grms melted dark chocolate (optional)

1 granny smith apple (grated)

1 TBS golden syrup

1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

4 large eggs (lightly beaten)

250 grms butter, melted and cooled (DO NOT BOIL)

½ cup S.R. flour

1 ½ cups plain flour

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp cinnamon

Pinch nutmeg

Pinch salt

Method

1. Prepare a 20 cm deep cake tin by lining it with 2 thicknesses of baking paper and tying a stout band of brown paper around the outside of the tin. Do not grease the inside at all, as the cake mixture is very rich and will not stick.  When tying brown paper allow it to extend 5-7 cm above the tin.
2. Place the fruit and nuts in a bowl and pour over the brandy, cover the bowl well with plastic wrap and leave to soak (overnight or longer if possible 2-3 weeks is best)
3. Melt the chocolate and mix with the fruit and nuts
4. Add grated apple and syrup
5. Add the sugar and eggs, mixing well  with wooden spoon
6. Add butter and mix well
7. Sift the flour, spices and salt together and thoroughly mix
8. Turn the cake mixture into the tin, smooth the top and brush it with very little water
9. Place the cake in the oven and bake at 150 deg C for 1  ¼  hours, then cover with several thicknesses of baking paper, reduce the temperature to 140 deg C and continue baking  1  ¼  hours.
10. Test the cake with a skewer, if it comes out perfectly clean, the cake is cooked
11. Remove from the oven and brush over top with extra brandy then cover cake and tin tightly with alfoil and then wrap in a large towel , leave overnight
12. Next day remove cake from tin and wrap in 2 or 3 wraps of cling wrap and store on a flat surface