Fruit Cake - Grand Marnier

• 500g Sultanas
• 250g Mixed Peel
• 125g Raisins
• 125g Glace' apricots
• 125g Glace' pineapple
• 125g Dates
• 125g Prunes
• 60g Walnut pieces
• 1 tab Grated orange rind
• 60g Blanched silvered almonds (peeled almonds)
• ½ cup Castor sugar
• ¼ cup Orange juice
• ½ cup Grand Marnier
• 250g Butter
• ½ cup Brown sugar, Firmly packed
• 5 Eggs
• 2 cups Plain flour

• Place sultanas and peel in a large basin, chop all fruit the same size as a sultana and add to the basin. Mix in almonds, walnuts and orange rind. Sprinkle castor sugar evenly into heavy based pan, place over medium heat, cook until sugar is beginning to melt and brown, gently stir sugar until completely melted and golden brown. Remove from heat, add orange juice.
• Return to heat and stir constantly until toffee pieces are dissolved. Do not boil mixture this will evaporate too much of the liquid. Add Grand Marnier, strain to remove any small pieces of toffee, cool. Place fruit mixture in airtight container or large jar which has tight fitting screw top, pour Grand Marnier mixture over fruit mixture. Seal with plastic lid, stand overnight. Next day invert jar or mix fruit mixture well. Do this for 10 days.

• Beat butter until soft, add brown sugar, beat until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beat only until combined before adding the next egg.
• Pour fruit mixture into large basin, add creamed mixture, mix well use your hand for most efficient mixing. Add sifted flour; mix well.
• Prepare a deep 20cm square or deep 23cm round cake tin by lining base and sides with three thicknesses of greeseproof paper. Bring lining paper 5 cm above the edges of the tin.
• Spread mixture evenly into tin, bake in a slow oven. For 3 to 3 ½ hours
• Brush top evenly with about 2 tablespoons extra Grand Marnier
• Cover with aluminum foil, leave until cold before removing from tin.

To store cake remove foil and tin. Do not remove lining paper. Wrap cake securely in plastic food wrap to make air tight, store in a cool dark place, preferably in refrigerator. This cake will keep for at least a year.

—Sandra Boyle A favourite that was taken to Sunset for many years