Instructions: Grease and line a deep 230mm round cake tin.

Roughly chop the apples and place in a saucepan with the other dried fruit sugar butter or margarine and tea.

Bring to the boil on the simmering plate and simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.

Sift the flour baking powder and mixed spice into a bowl.

Add the cooled fruit mixture egg treacle ginger and liquid; stir well until the ingredients are evenly combined.

Turn the cake mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.

Bake on the grid shelf on the floor of the roasting oven with the cold plain shelf on the second runners for 35 to 45 minutes until deep golden.

Turn once during the cooking time for even colouring.

Transfer the hot shelf to the second runners in the simmering oven and place the cake tin on this at the back of the oven.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Bake on the grid shelf on the floor of the bakingoven with the cold plain shelf on the top runners for 1 to 1 /4 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Leave in the tin for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To fnish the cake heat the apncot jam in a small bowl in the simmering oven until softened then press through a sieve into another bowl.

Brush a little of the apricot glaze over the cake.

Cut any larger pieces of glace fruit into small wedges or slices.

Arrange the fruits over the cake then brush with the remaining glaze.

If more convenient the dried fruit mixture can be cooked and cooled a day in advance. For a more every day fruit cake omit the glace fruit topping. Instead generously sprinkle the top of the cake with demerara sugar or decorate with whole blanched almonds before baking. An impressive arrangement of colourful glace fruits perfectly offsets this crumbly and exceptionally moist fruit cake. To enhance the moist texture dried fruits are first simmered in a buttery syrup to plump and sweeten them. Look for quality glace fruits in good confectioners and specialist food stores they are well worth the expense. For a less costly alternative try one of the variations.

Makes 12 slices

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