Ingredients
• 200g butter
• 200g Selati Muscovado sugar
• 75ml brandy
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 250g raisins
• 250g currants
• 100g dried cranberries
• 100g chopped dried apricots
• 100g dried pears, chopped
• 100g dark (70% cocoa) chocolate, chopped
• 200g self-raising flour
• 100g ground almonds
• 3 Tbs cocoa powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 eggs, beaten
To feed:
• 45ml brandy (for each feeding session per week)
Instructions
• Combine butter, sugar, brandy, vanilla, raisins, currants, cranberries, apricots and pears into a large pot. Heat gently, stirring occasionally until everything has melted together.
• Remove from the heat then stir in the chocolate to melt, then leave to cool.
• Heat oven to 150C. Grease a deep round bundt tin, 20cm. Wrap a few layers of newspaper around the outside of the tin and secure with string – this will protect your cake from the harsh heat in the oven.
• Mix the self-raising flour, ground almonds, cocoa and cinnamon.
• Stir the eggs into the slightly cooled chocolate mixture.
• Mix in the dry ingredients then transfer into the prepared tin.
• Bake for about 1 hr 30 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. If the top of the cake gets too dark, then cover with foil for remainder of cooking time.
• Leave to cool completely in the tin then poke holes all over the cake using a cake tester or toothpick.
• Pour the brandy over the cake, then store in an airtight container.
• Feed the cake once a week by pouring over 45ml brandy until ready to decorate and eat on Christmas day.