QUEEN'S FESTIVE FRUIT & NUT CAKE

200g whole brazil nuts
150g walnuts (halved)
250g dates (halved)
100g peel
120g red and green glace cherries (whole)
100g raisins
125g glace fruit (cut into large pieces)
100g (3/4 cup) self raising flour
pinch salt
100g (3/4 cup) raw sugar
3 eggs beaten
1 tsp Queen Natural Vanilla Essence
1 tsp Queen Natural Rosewater
2 tsp Queen Natural Brandy Essence
2 tsp Queen Natural Rum Essence

Prepare 2 greased bar tins (10cm wide)with 2 layers of brown paper. Place whole fruit and nuts in bowl. Sift flour and salt, mix in sugar, fruit and whole nuts. Beat eggs, add Queen essences and mix all together. Press into tins and bake in lower part of slow oven (120C) for 1 1/4 hours. Reduce heat to 110C after half hour if nuts are browning too quickly. Cool and wrap (airtight) in plastic wrap. Store in fridge up to 3 months. Slice finely (5mm) to serve.

Queen's Tip: Christmas cakes must bake slowly (ovens vary) approx 120C! Christmas cakes require up to a month to 'moisten' (cure), prepare early!