Ingredients:

• 500 g – Refined flour or Maida
• 300 g – soft grown Sugar
• 1/4 tsp – salt
• 2 tsp – spice powder
• 500 g – mixed dried fruits (equal quantities of currants, Raisins and sultanas, chopped well and soaked n rum before hand)
• 100 g – chopped orange/ Lemon peel
• 500 g – Butter
• 3 eggs beaten well
• 4 tsp – Milk
• 1/2 tsp – baking powder
• For Almond icing:
• 300 g Almonds
• 500 g icing Sugar
• 1 Egg yolk
• 1 tsp Almond essence
• 2 tsps Lime juice
• For royal icing:
• 200 g icing Sugar
• 2 Egg whites
• 3 tsps Lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

1. Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and spice powder in a bowl.
2. Add fruit, orange/lemon peel, brown sugar and mix well.
3. Add the butter and mix with a fork.
4. Add the beaten eggs and milk and mix well to give a stiff consistency.
5. Pour the mixture into a greased and papered cake tin and smoothen the top.
6. Bake in a moderately hot oven for about 1 hour or till the cake is cooked and the top turns brown.
7. Turn out and cool.
8. To prepare the almond icing:
9. Soak the 300 grams almonds in water overnight, then grind to a thick paste.
10. Add 500 grams icing sugar, 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp almond essence and 2 tbsps lime juice. Cook with a little water in a heavy bottom pan till it solidifies.
11. Remove from heat and cool. Knead it into a stiff ball.
12. To prepare the royal icing:
13. Sift 200g icing sugar into a bowl.
14. Beat two egg whites then fold them into the sugar.
15. Add 3 tsp of lemon juice and 1/2 tsp vanilla essence.
16. Mix to a stiff consistency and keep it aside.
17. Brush the cake with a layer of jam or egg or egg white.
18. To help the icing stick to the cake.
19. Add a thin layer of the almond icing over the cake, pressing it gently to cover the whole cake.
20. Using a flat spatula dipped in water spread the royal icing over.
21. The layer of almond icing.
22. Decorate the cake as desired.

Recipe courtesy of Bridget White