1½pounds(680 grams/5 cups) dried fruit ( (your choice of golden sultanas, raisins, currents, glace fruits etc))
1cup(2 sticks/227 grams) salted butter
1cup(213 grams)brown sugar
1 ½cupswater
2teaspoonsground cinnamon
½teaspsoon ground cloves
¼teaspoonfreshly grated nutmeg
1teaspoonbaking soda ((bicarbonate of soda))
4eggs
2cups(250 grams) all purpose flour
½cup(2½ ounces/70 grams) chopped candied orange
2teaspoonsbaking powder
½cupdark rum
1cup(90 grams) chopped walnuts
¼cupdark rum(extra)
Instructions
The night before:
In a large saucepan, add dried fruit, butter, brown sugar, water, and spices.
Place on the medium heat until butter has melted. Stir regularly so that it doesn't stick.
Boil all ingredients for 5 minutes.
Turn the heat off and stir in the baking soda. It will foam up.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and set aside to cool until lukewarm.
In a small bowl beat the eggs to break them up. Combine the flour with the baking powder.
Stir the walnuts and candied orange into the cooled fruit mixture. Followed by the beaten eggs, and 1/2 cup dark rum. Combine thoroughly. Finally stir in the flour mixture. Ensure everything is completely combined.
Pour the batter into a double lined 9inch/23cm round cake pan and bake for 1 ½ hours at 320ºF/160ºC
Check with a skewer that it is cooked.
Sprinkle over extra rum when you take it out of the oven then wrap in a towel to cool slowly. This will ensure it will be moist.
Notes
Choose a large saucepan to boil the fruit. The mixture will foam up when you add the baking soda so you need a large capacity.