Light and easy fruitcake

Fruitcake, perfect for the holiday season. Recipe by Hein van Tonder for Checkers using their Padkos mixed nut range.

SERVES 4-6 TIME 50 MIN LEVEL EASY

INGREDIENTS 250g bu er 250g caster sugar 4 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract Juice and grated rind of 1

orange

100g glacé cherries 250g golden sultanas 250g cake

mix

50g mixed peel 100g

chopped nuts (optional) 300g plain

flour

1 tsp mixed spice 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt Blanched almonds and glacé cherries for decorating

½ cup for sprinkling METHOD brandy spring 1. Bu er form and pan. line a 22 cm 2. Also line the sides of the pan with 2 strips of nonstick baking paper that extends about 4 cm above the pan. 3. Preheat oven to 160°C. 4. Beat the bu er and sugar until light and fluffy.

5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 6. Add the juice and orange zest and vanilla extract and mix.

7. Fold in fruit and nuts. 8. Mix together the flour,

spices, baking powder and salt and fold this into the cake batter.

9. Scrape the ba er into the prepared pan and decorate the top of the cake with blanched almonds and cherries.

10. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hr.

11. Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C for another 1 hr. Or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cover the cake tin with baking paper if the top of the cake browns too much. 12. Remove the cake from oven and allow to cool for 15 min. 13. Poke holes in the surface of cake and sprinkle with brandy. 14. Remove from the cake tin and allow it to cool completely. 15. Wrap the cake thoroughly in foil and place in an airtight container. Brush the cake once to twice a week generously with brandy.

16. The cake can be eaten after 2 weeks and will last up to a month.