Ingredients200g butter
200g soft brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
100g self-raising flour
200g flour
1 tsp ground mixed spice
175g sultanas
250g black raisins
50g mixed peel
50g dried apricots — coarsely chopped
50g crystalised ginger — coarsely chopped
3 tbsp CointreauTopping:
Apricot gel
5 pecan nuts or walnuts — toastedApricot gel glaze:
225g apricot jam
55ml water
1 3/4 tsp lemon juice
Method
Grease a deep 20cm round cake tin and line the base and sides with a double layer of greaseproof paper.Sift the flours with the mixed spice. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and adding a little flour if the mixture shows signs of curdling.Beat in the essence. Fold in the sifted flours in batches, alternating it with a tablespoon of cointreau each time.Mix fruits in a mixing bowl and add in one to two tablespoons flour. Stir fruits into the creamed mixture.Spoon the mixture into prepared cake tin and smooth the surface with a spatula.Knock tin lightly on a flat surface to break up any air bubbles.Bake in a preheated oven at 160 ºC for an hour, lower the temperature to 150 ºC and continue to bake for another hour or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean and dry.Cool cake in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
To make topping:
Brush apricot gel over cake. Arrange the pecan nuts in the centre of cake and brush with more gel to give the cake a beautiful sheen. Allow cake to dry before dusting with icing sugar.
To make Apricot gel glaze:
Put all the ingredients in a saucepan and stir well until it is thoroughly blended and mixture is smooth. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes then force the mixture through a fine wire sieve. Brush the warm glaze over the cake.You can keep the rest of the glaze in a covered container in the refrigerator. It will last for a fortnight.
