Serves 12
Preparation time 30 minutes, plus cooling
Cooking time about 1¾ hours
175 g (6 oz) pitted ready-to-eat prunes, finely chopped
125 g (4 oz) dried apricot halves, finely chopped
6 tablespoons dark rum
175 g (6 oz) unsalted butter, softened
175 g (6 oz) soft dark brown sugar
3 eggs
125 g (4 oz) wholemeal flour
125 g (4 oz) plain flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
125 g (4 oz) chopped nuts
175 g (6 oz) raisins
grated rind of 1 lemon
grated rind of 1 orange
1 tablespoon black treacle
Topping
about 4 tablespoons redcurrant jelly, melted
mixed nuts
pitted ready-to-eat prunes
glacé cherries
Grease and line the sides of a 25 cm (10 inch) springform funnel tin with 2 strips of nonstick baking paper or greased greaseproof paper.
Soak the prunes and apricots in rum together for about 15 minutes while you are preparing the rest of the ingredients.
Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and very light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, following each with 1 tablespoon wholemeal flour. Sift the plain flour with the baking powder and spices and fold in with the remaining wholemeal flour. Mix in all the other ingredients including the soaked fruit plus any excess liquid in the bowl.
Turn into the tin, around the funnel, and level the top. Tie a piece of newspaper, folded into a treble thickness, around the outside of the tin. Bake in a preheated oven, 150°C (300°F), Gas Mark 2, for about 1¾ hours or until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean. Leave in the tin until cold, then remove carefully and peel off the lining paper.
Brush the cake with the redcurrant jelly, then arrange the nuts, prunes and cherries decoratively on the top. Brush again with more jelly and leave to set.
For cherry & nut ring, omit the dried apricots and use 125 g (4 oz) finely chopped glacé cherries instead. Steep the prunes and cherries in 6 tablespoons cherry brandy instead of rum.