Prepare the baking tin. For one cake you can use a 9″ round tin. I used a 6″ round tin and a small loaf tin. Grease the tin lightly with butter. Add about a tsp or so of flour and shake the tin to spread the flour around. Dust the sides too. Tap the tin gently over the sink to remove excess flour.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Sieve the flour, spices and baking powder together.

Mix the nuts and dried fruits together. Add 1 tbsp flour to it and mix it. By doing this the fruit and nuts will not sink to the bottom of the cake while baking.

Cream butter and sugar together till it is nice and fluffy. The color too will become a bit lighter.

Add the zest and one egg.
Whisk till the egg is mixed into the sugar butter mixture.

Add a tablespoon of flour and mix.
Add the second egg and whisk.

Add a tablespoon of flour and mix.
Add the third egg and whisk.

Add the juice and alcohol. Whisk.
Add remaining flour and fold well.

Add the nuts and fruit mixture and fold it in gently.
Transfer the batter to the prepared tin/tins.

Baking time will vary according to the size of the tin. 9″ one will take 55-60 minutes. My 6″ one took 45-50 minutes and the small loaf one took 35 minutes.

The top should be nice golden brown color and when you insert a toothpick in the middle of the cake it should come out clean if the cake is done.

Remove the tin from the oven. Let the cake rest in the tin for 5 minutes.

Tips:

Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature.
Use lemon zest instead of orange zest.
Replace the alcohol with juice or water.