Granny’s whisky cake

Ingredients

250g sultanas

250g raisins

250g currants

85g mixed peel

50g glacé cherry halves 14floz your chosen whisky 160g butter

160g soft light brown sugar 3 large free-range eggs 200g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp mixed spice

25g ground almonds

Method

This is the first time I’ve shared this recipe! In a large bowl, mix all the dried fruit together. Cover the fruit with the whisky and cover the bowl with clingfilm. Soak for at least 24hrs.

Pre-heat the oven to 160°c, either butter and line 4 x small 5” cake tins or 1 x large 9”. I also line the outside of the tin with brown paper to prevent the edges from catching.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Then add the eggs, flour, baking powder and mixed spice all together. Mix well until combined. Then throw in the almonds and all the soaked fruit. Stir carefully but ensure that it is well mixed through.

Tip the mixture into the large tin or divide into the smaller ones. Place on a baking sheet and into the oven.

The smaller cakes should take about 45 mins to an hour (oven dependent). The larger can take 1 hour 30mins or more. You just need to keep a check on them – if the tops look to be browning too quickly and the mixture still looks wobbly then use a bit of tin foil to cover the top.

Check the centre of the cake using a metal skewer, if it comes out clean the cake is cooked. When cooked, cool the cakes completely in the tins. Store in an airtight container. These will keep up to six months, to be honest the longer you keep them, the better because they mature.