Gail's Christmas Fruit Cake

Ingredients:
1 kg fruit mix
1 cup mixed chopped nuts
6 eggs
225g butter
2 cups brown sugar
4 cups water
1 cup cherries chopped red and green
1 block dates chopped
1 sachet bicarbonate of soda
3/4 cup brandy
4 cups self raising flour
2 heaped tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp salt

Method:
Boil together fruit, butter, sugar, brandy, water, bicarb, nuts and dates for 20 mins.
Cool completely.
Add cherries, eggs, salt, self raising flour, mixed spice.
Mix well.
This makes a 25 cm cake.
Pour into lined and greased pan and bake for 1 hour at 160°C preheated oven.
Check for readiness then bake for 20 mins more if not cooked through.
Apricot juice can be substituted for the brandy.
Decorate cake as desired.
I used marzipan and fondant icing.
Source: May Venkatraman
Prepared, tried and tested by: Gail Haselsteiner‎