Recipe: Light fruit cake

Ingredients

250g butter
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 brandy for sprinkling

Method

1. Butter and line a 22 cm spring form pan. Also line the sides of the pan with 2 strips of non-stick baking paper that extends about 4 cm above the pan.

2. Preheat oven to 160°C.

3. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4. Add the juice and zest of the orange and vanilla extract and mix. Fold in the fruit and nuts.

5. Mix together the flour, spices, baking powder and salt and fold this into the cake batter.

6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and decorate the top of the cake with blanched almonds and cherries.

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

8. 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.

9. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 15 min. Poke holes in the surface of the cake and sprinkle with the brandy.

10. Remove from the cake tin and allow the cake to cool completely.

11. Wrap the cake thoroughly in foil and place in an airtight container. Brush the cake once to twice a week generously with brandy.

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

Recipe for Checkers using their Padkos mixed nut range

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