glacé fruit & nut cake

serves 20

50 g (1¾ oz) unsalted butter, softened

60 g (2¼ oz/¹/₃ cup) soft brown sugar

2 eggs

125 g (4½ oz/1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons marmalade

200 g (7 oz/1¼ cups) chopped pitted dates

185 g (6½ oz/1½ cups) raisins

155 g (5½ oz/1 cup) brazil nuts

140 g (5 oz/²/₃ cup) red, yellow and green glacé cherries

110 g (3½ oz/½ cup) chopped glacé pear or pineapple

120 g (4¼ oz/½ cup) chopped glacé apricots

120 g (4¼ oz/½ cup) chopped glacé peaches

120 g (4¼ oz/½ cup) chopped glacé figs

100 g (3½ oz/1 cup) walnut halves

100 g (3½ oz/²/₃ cup) blanched almonds

topping

2 tablespoons marmalade

2 teaspoons powdered gelatine

150 g (5½ oz/²/₃ cup) glacé pear or pineapple rings

100 g (3½ oz/½ cup) red, yellow and green glacé cherries

40 g (1½ oz/¼ cup) blanched almonds

Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F/Gas 2). Lightly grease and line the base and sides of a 20 x 8 x 7 cm (8 x 3¼ x 2¾ inch) loaf (bar) tin with baking paper.

Using electric beaters, cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift the flour, baking powder and nutmeg into a large bowl. Add the remaining cake ingredients and stir to coat the fruit and nuts in the flour mixture. Add to the butter mixture and stir to combine well.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, pushing it into each corner. Bake for 1½–1¾ hours, or until a cake tester inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean, covering the cake with foil if it browns too quickly. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the topping. Put the marmalade in a small heatproof bowl, stir in 2 tablespoons water, then sprinkle the gelatine over the top. Set the bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water, ensuring the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and stir until the gelatine has dissolved.

Brush the top of the cooled cake with some of the gelatine mixture and arrange the glacé fruit and almonds over the top. Brush or drizzle with the remaining gelatine mixture and allow to set.

Glacé fruit and nut cake will keep for up to 3 months, wrapped in baking paper and stored in a cool place in an airtight container.