Stained Glass Christmas Cake

Preparation Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 ½ - 1 ¾ hours
Tip: Cake is best made 2-3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

1/3 cup (50g) Sunbeam Dry Roasted Almonds
¾ cup (110g) Sunbeam Brazil Nuts
1 cup (120g) Sunbeam Dry Roasted Macadamia Nuts
1 cup (150g) Sunbeam Raisins
1 ½ cups (200g) Sunbeam Pitted Dates, halved
400g mixed glace fruit - pineapple rings, whole apricots and whole figs (or use your favourite combination of glace fruits)
200g pkt mixed glace cherries
½ cup plain flour
¼ cup self raising flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup brandy
2 tsps finely grated orange rind
½ cup apricot conserve

1.	Preheat oven to 150ºC. Grease a 20cm ring tin. Line base and side with baking paper, extending paper 6cm above rim to form a collar.
2.	Coarsely chop half the glace fruit and half the cherries (reserve remainder for topping). Place chopped fruit in a large bowl. Coarsely Chop half the nuts (reserve remainder for topping). Add chopped nuts, raisins and dates to chopped fruit mixture and stir to combine.
3.	Sift flours and cinnamon, then stir ¼ cup into the fruit mixture.
4.	Beat eggs, sugar, 2 tablespoons brandy and rind together until light. Add remaining flour and stir to combine; then fold this through fruit mixture. Spoon into prepared tin and press down with back of a spoon. Cut remaining pineapple, apricots and figs into quarters. Press gently on top of cake along with whole nuts and whole cherries. Place a paper bag on top of collar. Bake 11/2 -13/4 hours or until skewer inserted removes clean. Cool in tin. Loosen inner rim with a knife before turning out.
5.	Place apricot conserve and remaining brandy in a small saucepan. Simmer, stirring, for 3 minutes. Strain, then brush over cake. Serve cut in thin slices.