FLORENTINE FRUIT CAKE

SERVES 20 PREP + COOK 3 HOURS + OVERNIGHT STANDING + COOLING

◆ 3 cups sultanas

◆ 1 cup coarsely chopped glace cherries

◆ 1 ½ cups coarsely chopped dried dates

◆ ¾ cup coarsely chopped glace apricots

◆ ½ cup brandy

◆ 250g butter, room temperature

◆ 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

◆ 1 tbsp finely grated orange rind

◆ 5 eggs

◆ ½ cup almond meal

◆ 1 ¾ cups plain flour

◆ 2 tsp mixed spice FLORENTINE TOPPING

◆ 80g unsalted butter, chopped

◆ 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

◆ ¼ cup golden syrup

◆ 1 cup flaked almonds

◆ ¾ cup glace cherries, halved

◆ ½ cup mixed peel

1 Combine fruit and brandy in a large bowl. Cover, stand overnight, stirring occasionally, until brandy is absorbed.

2 Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease a deep 22cm round cake pan, line base and side with two layers brown paper and two layers baking paper, extending papers 5cm above edge.

3 Beat butter, sugar and rind in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until just combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined between additions (mixture may appear curdled, but will come together later). Stir egg mixture into fruit mixture, then stir in almond meal and combined sifted flour and spice, mix well.

4 Spoon mixture evenly into pan. Tap pan on bench to remove any air bubbles, smooth surface with fingers dipped in water.

5 Bake cake 1 hour 40 mins.

6 FLORENTINE TOPPING Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat, add sugar and golden syrup, cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, stir in almonds, cherries and peel.

7 Spread florentine topping evenly over cake, bake a further 40 mins or until golden brown and cake is cooked when tested. (If florentine topping starts to over-brown, cover cake loosely with foil.) Place a piece of baking paper over top of cake, cover hot cake tightly with foil. Cool in pan overnight.