Orange Glazed Almond Fruit Cake

The fruit cake is a classic that I love to both bake and eat, but as great as it is it's always nice to try something a bit different. This version replaces the traditional spicing with almond and vanilla and is glazed with a little orange syrup. The result is lovely fragrant fruit cake with a light texture, and sweet, biscuity and slightly chewy crust. I dare you to give it a go!

Prep time: 15 Mins
Baking time: 45-50 Mins
175ml Vegetable Oil
3 Medium Eggs
1tsp Vanilla Extract
1tsp Almond Extract
100g Plain Flour
1tsp Baking Powder
100g Ground Almonds
175g Caster Sugar
350g Luxury Dried Fruit
50g Flaked Almonds

For the glaze
Juice and Zest of 1 Orange
35g Caster Sugar

This is another quick and easy one. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4, grease a 20cm deep loose bottomed tin and line the base with baking paper. In a large bowl or jug pour in the oil. Crack in the eggs, add both of the extracts and mix it together. In a fresh large bowl sift in the flour and baking powder. Fold through the ground almonds and sugar, then pour in the wet ingredients and mix together to a smooth batter. Fold in the dried fruit and pour into the prepared tin. Scatter over the flaked almonds, then bake in the centre of the oven for 45-50 minutes, until a metal skewer can be cleanly removed when inserted into the middle of the cake. When it's cooked remove from the oven and set aside for ten minutes.

To make the glaze tip the juice and zest of the orange into a small saucepan, along with the sugar. Turn the heat up and let it bubble away until syrupy, then take off of the heat. Carefully remove the cake from the tin, peel off the baking paper and place on a wire rack, with a plate underneath (to catch any syrup that runs off). Pierce the top all over with a metal skewer then brush over the hot syrup. Leave to go cool and it's finished!