Cherry Fruit Cake

2 cups dried fruit, like cranberries or raisins
1 cup glacé cherries, halved
1/4 cup mixed peel
Juice and zest of one orange
½ cup water
225g unsalted butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp almond essence
3 eggs
2 ½ cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder

Put the cranberries, raisins, mixed peel and orange zest in a small bowl. Pour over the orange juice and water. Add a little more water if necessary so the fruit is covered. Let sit, undisturbed (overnight if you can, or for a few hours to soften). Drain the liquid off and set the soaked fruit aside.

Preheat oven to 150C. Line the base of a square 23cm cake tin and grease the sides.

Cream butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and almond essence and beat again. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift the flour and baking powder together, then gently fold into the creamed mixture. Tip in the soaked fruit and the cherries and stir gently until they are mixed through. 

Pour into the prepared tin and bake for about 1 ½ hours, until a skewer plunged into the cake comes out cleanly. Leave in the tin until cold, then carefully turn out. This cake is better the day after baking and keeps well.

Recipe adapted from Frankie Magzine, by Lucy Corry.
Photography and art direction Hilary Walker, cake styling Hayley McKee.