This is my mum’s recipe. They’re not the same when I make them, but I suppose that’s only to be expected. She’s much neater with the almonds.
Makes 4 x 6in. (2lb in each) or 2 x 8in.
1 lb butter
1 lb caster sugar
1lb 6ozs plain flour
Pinch salt
2 tsp. mixed spice
Grated rind of both 1 lemon and 1 orange
10 eggs
3lb 8ozs mixed fruit
3-4 tbsp brandy or simiar
2ozs chopped nuts
4ozs cherries
Blanched whole almonds for decoration
Put fruit into a bowl and drizzle with brandy overnight to plump up and moisten. Next day add rinds, nuts and cherries.
Cream fat and sugar, then add eggs and flour/salt/spice (sieved together) alternatively (so no curdling).
Mix in the fruit mixture and put into tins lined with baking parchment. Smooth top with wet hand or spoon and decorate with blanched almonds.
Depending on your oven, bake at about 170c for approx. 2 hours but check with a skewer after 1.5 hours.
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