Fig and Pecan Fruit Loaf

Ingredients:

185 g butter
1/2 cup castor sugar
3 eggs
250 g(1 cup) chopped glazed figs
155 g (1/2 cup) chopped glazed apricots
50 g dark chocolate, chopped
90 g (3/4 cup) chopped pecans or walnuts
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup self-raising flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp brandy

To Decorate:
1 tbsp apricot jam, sieved
45 g butter
1/2 cup icing sugar
2 tsp milk
glace cherries

Directions:
Grease a 15 cm x 25 cm loaf pan, line base and sides with 3 layers of paper; grease paper. Cream butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer only until combined. Add eggs quickly, one at a time, beat until combined. Transfer mixture to large bowl, stir in fruit, chocolate and nuts, then half the sifted dry ingredients, with half the combined milk and brandy; then stir in remaining dry ingredients and milk mixture. Spread mixture into prepared pan.
Bake moderately slow oven for about 1 1/2 hours. Cover cake with foil; cool in pan.

To Decorate:
Brush top of cake evenly with jam. In small bowl, beat butter, sifted icing sugar and milk until light and fluffy. Pipe a criss-cross pattern over top of the cake; decorate with cherry halves.