This fruit cake can be made a couple of months in advance and kept until Christmas. Makes about 12 servings

Ingredients

• 675g (24 oz.) dried fruit (mostly currants, raisins, sultanas but you could include some glacé cherries, cranberries, blueberries etc.)
• 1 lemon (rind only) or 1 tbsp. (15ml) candied peel
• 250g (9 oz.) white self raising flour
• 150ml (5 fl. oz.) vegetable oil
• 50g (2 oz.) chopped mixed nuts
• 75g (3 oz.) raw cane sugar
• 2 tsps. (10 ml) mixed spice

Method

1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 2 / 300°F / 150°C.
2. Put all the ingredients into a very large mixing bowl with 450ml (15 fl. oz.) cold water. Mix thoroughly.
3. Line two 1lb loaf tins (about 20cm x 10cm) or a deep 20cm square tin with greaseproof paper, leaving the ends of the paper sticking out at the sides (you can use these to lift the cake out after cooking).
4. Press the mixture lightly into the tins and cook for two hours.
5. When cooked, lift the cake out onto a wire cooling tray.
6. When the cake has cooled, wrap it in tin foil, place in an airtight box and store in a cool, dark place until required.