Heat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas2. Grease a 20cm/8inch round or an
18cm/7inch square cake tin and line the bottom and sides with baking
parchment.
Sieve the flour, salt, mixed spice and cinnamon into a bowl.
Cream the butter and the sugar in a large mixing bowl and then mix in
the sugar, treacle, marmalade and vanilla essence until light and fluffy.
Mix the eggs a little at a time into the mixture adding a tablespoon of
flour mixture with the last amount.
Fold in the remaining flour mixture until well mixed and then mix in the
dried fruit, mixed peel, glace cherries and the almonds.
Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and make a slight hollow in the
centre.
Bake in the oven for 3 hours and then test with a skewer. If not ready
bake for up to another hour testing every 20 minutes until the skewer comes
out clean.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes.
Turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool.
Once cool, make a few holes in the cake with a skewer and pour over 3-4
tbspof brandy. Let the brandy soak into the cake.
Store the cake wrapped in foil and in an airtight tin or plastic
container, holes side up.
OPTIONAL: For a rich and moist cake, spoon over a few tablespoons of
brandy every week until you are ready to ice and decorate your cake.
