Dan Lepard's cake is very easy to make with a moist crumb and no need to soak the fruit - it's ideal for wedding cakes and Christmas cakes.
80g/2¾oz golden syrup
80g/2¾oz black treacle
50g/1¾oz honey
250g/9oz dark brown sugar
200ml/7fl oz double cream
15g/½oz (about 2 tbsp) mixed spice
250g/9oz unsalted butter
1 tsp orange extract
1 tsp lemon extract
6 medium free-range eggs
350g/12oz currants
350g/12oz raisins
350g/12oz chopped pitted prunes
350g/12oz glacé cherries or more dried fruit
500g/1lb 2oz strong white bread flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
brandy, whisky or orange juice, to finish
Preheat the oven to 170C/335F/Gas 3 and line a 25cm/10in round deep cake tin with non-stick paper. Place the syrup, treacle, honey, sugar, cream and spices in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl, add the butter in pieces and stir until melted, then add the orange and lemon extracts (or zest)
Beat in the eggs until smooth, then stir in the fruit. Mix the flour and soda together, then stir this through evenly. Spoon into the tin and bake for about 2-2½ hours, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin, then carefully remove from the tin.
When cold, spoon the top liberally with brandy, whisky or boiled orange juice, wrap well and leave for 3-4 days before icing.
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