Cherry Fruit Cake

I entered this cake into the Great Christchurch Bake Day and won! Lovely Jo Wheatley who won the Great British bake Off last year was one of the judges and was absolutely delightful. I got the idea for decorating the cake from my friend Fay who decorated her brothers wedding cake in a similar way but using purple, pink and green, it looked amazing.

Cherry Fruit Cake

Ingredients 
1 lb (450 g) currants
6 oz (175 g) sultanas
4 oz (110 g) raisins
3 oz (80 g) dried sour cherries
4 oz (110 g) dried cranberries
3 tablespoons cherry brandy, plus extra for feeding the cake once cooked
8 oz (225 g) plain flour
½ level teaspoon salt
¼ level teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg  ¼ level teaspoon Cinnamon
½ level teaspoon ground mixed spice
8 oz (225 g) unsalted butter
8 oz (225 g) soft brown sugar
4 large free range eggs
2 oz (50 g) pecans chopped
1 level dessertspoon black treacle
grated zest 1 lemon
grated zest 1 orange You will also need an 8 inch (20 cm) round cake tin or a 7 inch (18 cm) square tin, greased and lined with baking parchment. Tie a band of brown paper round the outside of the tin for extra protection Method 1. The day before you make the cake, weigh out the dried fruit and place it in a mixing bowl and mix in the cherry brandy as evenly and thoroughly as possible. Cover the bowl with a cling film and leave the fruit to absorb the brandy for a minimum of 12 hours. 2. Next day pre-heat the oven to gas mark 1, 275°F (140°C) Sift the flour, salt and spices into a large mixing bowl, lifting the sieve up high to give the flour a good airing. 3. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. 4. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add them to the creamed mixture a tablespoonful at a time; keep the whisk running until all the egg is incorporated. 5.  Fold the flour and spices into the mixture taking care not to knock out the air by using gentle, folding movements. 6.  Next fold in the dried fruit, chopped nuts and treacle followed by the grated lemon and orange zests 7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Place a piece of baking parchment on top of the cake with a hole approximately 6cm in diameter on top of the cake. 8. Bake the cake on the lowest shelf of the oven for 4½-4¾ hours. Sometimes it can take up to ½-¾ hour longer than this, don't look till at least 4 hours have passed. 9. Cool the cake for 30 minutes in the tin, then remove it to a wire rack to finish cooling. When it's cold 'feed' it – make small holes in the top and base of the cake with a cocktail stick or small skewer, then spoon over a few teaspoons of cherry brandy, wrap it in double baking paper secured with an elastic band and either wrap again in foil or store in an airtight container. You can now feed it at odd intervals until you need to ice or eat it. 10. Decorate with white marzipan and fondant roll out icing.