I had an urge for fruit cake, but there is no way I can contemplate staring at a whole fruit cake for weeks on end. And I can’t give it to the dogs, which is my normal plan to hoover up the leftovers as dried fruit is toxic to dogs. So I enlisted Dad and then later son no.1’s help. They both readily agreed, although they didn’t realise that they were being set up, or even if they had they would still be very happy about it.

And you all know what this means…. It’s going to be that type of fruit cake! For those that don’t it’s hubbys mothers trusty Christmas cake tin all wrapped up. I’ve started to save the brown paper I wrap around the outside, this is the third cake it has protected, I’m pleased about the thriftiness.

Fruit soaked overnight with twice the recommended Brandy. Only because I noticed the fruit had soaked it all up while stirring it before going to bed, so I threw in another 100ml. Some fruit almost refuses to soak up the alcohol, but this particular dried fruit did very well.

All ready for the oven, with very careful almond placement.

After four hours on 140c

Which after an hour or so I started to anoint it with more Brandy. And then after another hour another big splash of Brandy. So far this cake has had about 350ml of Brandy. Mind you I did join it by imbibing a splash of the cooking Brandy in a latte, with some lovely dark brown sugar for ellevensies. The cooking Brandy was very good, weird that it was in a plastic bottle, but £11.50 a bottle from Sainsbury’s, the ratings were good, so I thought I’d try it.

Already to be wrapped up for the tin. I’ll let it mature for a couple of days and then divide into three.