Ingredients:
1/2 cup finely chopped glace ginger
1 1/2 cups sultanas
1 cup mixed peel
1 1/2 cups chopped dates
1/2 cup Grand Marnier or Cointreau
250 g butter
1 tsp grated orange rind
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 tsp ground ginger
Directions:
Line base and sides of deep 20 cm round cake pan with 3 layers of paper, bringing paper 5 cm above edge of pan. Combine glace ginger, sultanas, peel and dates in bowl, add Grand Marnier, mix well, cover: stand overnight.
Cream butter, rind and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer, beat in eggs one at a time, beat only until combined. Transfer mixture to large bowl, stir in fruit mixture, then combined sifted flour and ground ginger. Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan, bake in slow oven for about 2 1/2 hours. Cover tightly with foil, cool in pan. Store in cool, dark place. Decorate cake with marzipan oranges and holly, if desired.
Marzipan Oranges:
Buy a roll of almond paste from a health food store ( some supermarkets stock it). Dust hands well with sifted pure icing sugar. Roll pieces of paste into balls for oranges, place small part of clove in position on orange,as shown. Gently roll oranges over grater to give effect on orange skin. Stand oranges on wire rack to dry overnight. Paint with orange food colouring, leave to dry overnight.
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