• 175g butter
• 450g mixed, dried fruit
• 1 orange, juice and zest
• 175g brown sugar
• 200ml Guinness
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 300g plain flour
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 2 tbsp flaked almonds
• 2 tbsp brown sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 140C. Grease and line the base of a round cake tin.
2. In a large pan, mix butter, dried fruit, orange zest and juice, sugar and Guinness and slowly bring to the boil, stirring, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 mins.
3. Cool for 10 mins, then stir in bicarbonate of soda, to make the mix fizz up a little.
4. Stir eggs into the pan then sift in flour and spice, mixing it all well.
5. Pour into the tin, smoothing the top with a spoon and sprinkle with the almonds and brown sugar.
6. Bake in the oven for 1- 1½ hours, then cool for 15 mins before turning onto a wire rack.

The Guinness in this cake  gives it a nice rich flavour.

Instead of mixed dried fruit, you can use a combination of any dried fruits really.

I am not a fan of candied peel, so I often use raisins, dates and sultanas.