cherries and stem ginger into a bowl and pour over 100ml/3½fl oz of the whisky. Stir in the orange zest and juice to combine
then cover and set aside overnight until the fruit has absorbed all of the liquid.
When the fruit has soaked
preheat the oven to 140C/120C Fan/Gas 1. Grease the inside of a 20cm/8in non-stick savarin cake tin with butter. Fold a large sheet of baking paper into a strip that is 3 layers thick and big enough to wrap around the outside of the tin making a high 'collar' (this will help the cake bake evenly and prevent it over-browning as it bakes). Secure the collar with string.
Beat the sugar and butter in a free-standing food mixer or large bowl for at least 3-4 minutes
or until it has turned a light caramel colour and is fluffy. Crack in the eggs one at a time
beating well after each addition.
Fold in the flour
mixed spice
ground ginger and the soaked fruit until completely combined. Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top using a palette knife.
Bake the cake for 1½ hours
or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (if it does not
cook the cake for a further 10 minutes and check once more).
Remove the cake from the oven and drizzle with the remaining whisky. Set aside to cool in the tin for 15 minutes
then turn out onto a wire rack (see tip about feeding the cake).
For the icing
in a free-standing food mixer
whisk together the icing sugar
egg white and glycerine until thick enough to hold its shape – this will take 3-4 minutes.
