Ingredients

• 175g/6ozs. butter
• 450g/1 lb. mixed dried fruit
• 1 orange - grated zest and juice
• 175g/6 ozs. light brown sugar
• 200ml/7 fl. ozs. Guinness
• 1 teaspoon bicarb. of soda
• 3 eggs. lightly beaten
• 300g/10 ozs. plain flour
• ½ teaspoon ground mace

Method

1. Place the first 5 ingredients in a large heavy saucepan.
2. Bring to the boil, stirring, and then simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Remove pan from the heat, and cool for 15 minutes.
4. Stir in the bicarb.
5. Then stir the beaten eggs into the mixture.
6. Sift in the flour, sieved with spices. Mix everything thoroughly.
7. Pour mixture into lined tin.
8. Level the top of the mixture, & then scatter flaked almonds and sugar over the top.

Baking

AGA - 2 OVEN: bake in cake baker on floor of ROASTING OVEN.

AGA - 4 OVEN: bake on lowest rung of BAKING OVEN with cold shelf two runners above.

Baking Time: 1¼ to 1½ hours.

N.B. If the cake is browning too much before the end of the cooking time, place a piece of greaseproof paper over. When baked leave in the tin 20 minutes before turning out to become cold on wire rack before storing in an airtight cake tin. Leave for at least three days before cutting.