INGREADIENT

• 1 kg Sunbeam mixed fruit
• 125 g Sunbeam raisins
• 125 g Sunbeam currants
• 1 cup Sunbeam slivered almonds
• 1 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup (crushed) canned pineapple drained
• 1 granny smith apple grated small
• 250 g Western Star salted butter softened
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar firmly packed
• 4 egg
• 2 cup plain flour
• 1/2 cup self-raising flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 120 g Sunbeam blanched almonds *to decorate

Direction

1. Preheat oven to 150°C. Combine fruit and ½ cup of brandy in a large bowl. Cover and store in a cool, dark place for 5-7 days, stirring each day.
2. Grease a 22cm round deep cake tin. Line with three layers of brown paper, extending papers 5cm above rim.
3. Stir slivered almonds, pineapple and grated apple into fruit mixture.
4. Beat butter and sugars together until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. Add creamed mixture to fruit mixture, mix well. Stir in sifted dry ingredients. Spread evenly into pan. Tap pan several times on bench to settle mixture.
5. Decorate with blanched almonds. Bake for 3-3½ hours or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Deeply prick over the top of the cake with a fine skewer. Spoon extra brandy over cake. Leave hot cake in tin and wrap in foil, then a thick tea towel to cool overnight.