The night before you cook this place all the fruit fruit peel and nuts into a bowl and soak for 12 hours in the brandy and orange juice; Stir every time you go into the kitchen!pre-heat oven to 275F/140C.Grease and line with greaseproof paper an 8 inch/20cm round cake tin.Sift the flour salt and spices into a large mixing bowl.In a separate bowl cream the butter and sugar together until the mixtures fluffy.Beat the eggs and add them a little at a time.Fold in the flour and spices.Stir in the fruit that has been soaking along with any excess liquid.
Mix in the treacle.Spoon into the cake tin and spread out evenly.Cover the cake with a double square of greaseproof paper with a small hole in the top.
Bake the cake on the lower shelf for 4& 1/4- 3/4 hours.When the cake is cold wrap in double greaseproof paper and store in an airtight tin.Feed the cake every two days for the first 2 weeks with a spoonful of brandy and/or orange juice and/or glac cherry syrup.First poke little holes in the cake with a knitting needle or a skewer.Come Christmas you will have a very very rich fruit cake.Use royal icing to ice it or almond paste and royal icing, I don't like almond paste!
