Ingredients

• 5 1/2 ounces                                    Anchor Unsalted Butter, slightly softened
• 5 1/2 ounces                                    dark brown sugar (soft)
• 1                                                         large orange (zested)
• 8 ounces                                           all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons                                      baking powder
• 1 teaspoon                                        mixed spice
• 3                                                         large, free-range eggs
• 1 pound                                             dried fruit (combine sultanas, currants and raisins)
• 2 ounces                                           candied peel (chopped)
• 2 ounces                                           glace cherries, halved (optional)
• 1 teaspoon                                        almond essence
• 4 tablespoons                                  rum
• 4 ounces                                           whole almonds (blanched)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees (Fahrenheit). Line a 8 1/2 inch cake tin with grease-proof paper or baking parchment and grease lightly
2. Place Anchor Unsalted Butter, sugar and zest into a large bowl. Cream until light, smooth and creamy
3. Mix the flour, baking powder and mixed spice together. Into the creamed butter, beat one egg at a time alternately with flour mixture
4. Add the dried fruits, citrus peel, and cherries (optional) to the mixture and very gently fold in. Add in almond essence and rum and stir
5. Spoon mixture into the prepared cake tin and gently level the surface. Cook in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours, then arrange the blanched almonds into circles on the top and return the cake to the oven
6. Cook for another hour or until the cake is golden brown. Remove from oven, leaving the cake in the tin. Cool on rack. One cooled, serve and enjoy

Note – the cake keeps well when stored in an airtight tin