I find its always best to start this the night before. All you do is place the fruits and Peel in a bowl, then dissolve the sugar in the the hot tea and pour this over the fruits. Then cover with a cloth and leave to soak - as the fruits absorb the tea they become plump and juicy.

When you are ready to make the cake, preheat the oven to 170°C then place the pecans on a baking tray and pop them in the oven. Give them 8 minutes to toast but put a timer on as the burn very easily.

After they have cooled roughly chop the nuts. Now whisk the egg and add it to the fruits along with the toasted nuts and sifted flour. Give everything a thorough mixing. Add a tablespoon of milk and if the mixture still feels stiff, stir in another. Spoon the mixture into a prepared loaf tin and level with the back of a spoon. Bake on the lower shelf of the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes until it feels springy in the center.

When it comes out of the oven turn it out onto a wire rack to cool. Serve it cut in thick slices spread generously with butter.