Put fruit and tea (tea & brandy) in a bowl and let stand overnight

Preheat oven to 125ºC gas 1½

Line a greased loaf tin with baking parchment (I use a strip that I leave long on both ends to lift the cake out)

Add the flour to the fruit mixture and stir in well (some fruit absorbs all the liquid and you may need a couple tablespoons of water to help mix, but it should not be a runny mixture)

Bake for 2¼ hours in the centre of the oven. Allow to cool in the tin before removing

If making Christmas cake you may want to double the quantities and bake for 2½ hours in an 8" square or round tin. When cold, wrap in foil and feed with brandy every week for 4 weeks before covering with marzipan and royal icing