Alternative Christmas Cake

[runnerbean]

3 (250g) bags ready to eat tropical fruits such as pineapple, papaya, melon and mango chopped
50 g mixed peel chopped
50 g pecan nuts chopped
50 g brazil nuts chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground mace
finely grated rind and juice of a small orange
3 1/2 fl oz of dark rum

350 g butter softened
350 g light brown sugar
3 tbs golden syrup
6 medium eggs
350 g plain flour sifted
The quantity of fruit from above
75 g ground almonds
1 tbs baking powder
5 tbs of brandy or rum, plus extra for feeding the cake

Preheat oven to 130C/Gas 2
Grease a deep 23cm/9 in, loose based cake tin
Line the base with a double thickness of baking parchnment to 2 cm above the rim. Beat together butter, sugar, and syrup until pale and creamy. Beat the eggs in lightly adding 1 tbs of flour with the egg.
Fold in half the flour. Gently fold in the fruit mix, followed by the remaining flour, ground almonds and baking powder. Spoon into tin, levelling off. Wrap the tin in a double thickness of brown paper, and bake for 2 1/2 to 3hrs.
Pierce the top of the cake with a skewer spoon over brandy or rum. Leave to cool, then wrap in clean greaseporoof and store in a dry, cool place. This cake should be made up to 6 weeks before Christmas and fed weekly with 1-2 tbs of alcohol, ice as you wish.