Dundee Cake

Instructions

1. Prepare the ingredients
   Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan, Gas mark 2). Grease a 20cm deep round cake tin and line with double-thickness baking parchment. In a small bowl, combine the sultanas, raisins, currants, mixed peel, and cherries.
2. Cream butter and sugar
   In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes using an electric mixer. This incorporates air into the mixture for a lighter cake.
3. Add eggs and flour
   Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a tablespoon of the flour with each to prevent curdling. Fold in the remaining flour, ground almonds, mixed spice, and orange zest with a large metal spoon until well combined.
4. Incorporate fruits
   Gently fold in the mixed dried fruits and candied peel until evenly distributed throughout the batter. Add the whisky and mix well.
5. Transfer to baking tin
   Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and level the surface with the back of a spoon. Arrange the blanched whole almonds in concentric circles on top of the cake, pressing them lightly into the surface.
6. Bake the cake
   Bake in the preheated oven for 2 hours to 2 hours 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the cake begins to brown too much during baking, cover loosely with foil.
7. Cool and store
   Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, wrap in fresh baking parchment and then in foil. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks to allow flavors to mature.