Instruction

• Put the almonds into a small bowl and pour over boiling water to just cover
• Leave for 5 mins then drain in a sieve and leave to dry
• Preheat the oven to 180C/160 C fan/Gas Mark 4
• Line a deep loose-based 20cm cake tin with baking parchment
• Put the butter in a large bowl and beat well until soft
• Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy
• Stir in the orange zest and apricot jam
• Sieve together the flour and baking powder
• Add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar, a little at a time, beating well between each addition
• If the mixture starts to curdle, stir in a little flour
• Add the remaining flour and ground almonds and mix well
• Mix in the milk and then add the dried fruit and cherries and mix gently together
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and spread level using the back of a spoon
• Arrange the whole almonds close together in neat circles on the top of the cake
• Bake in the oven for 45 mins
• Lower the oven temperature to 160C/140 C fan/Gas Mark 3 and cook for a further 60–80 minutes
• Check the cake after 50 minutes by inserting a wooden or metal skewer into the cake
• When it’s done it should have just a few crumbs attached
• Check every 10 minutes - it’s important not to overcook this cake so the centre will be a little soft
• When cooked, remove the cake briefly from the oven, put the milk and sugar into a small pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved
• Brush over the top of the cake and return the cake to the oven for 2-3 mins
• Remove and allow the cake to cool in the tin
• When quite cold remove from the tin and wrap in foil and keep for at least 2 days before cutting