Fruitcake for the tardy

Preheat the oven to 150ºC (300ºF). Line two 23 cm cake tins with a double layer of heavy aluminium foil. If using light foil, use three layers. Grease each tin well. Place the dried and glacé fruitcake mixes, glacé cherries, butter, caramel brown sugar, bicarbonate of soda, water and brandy in a heavy-based saucepan and boil for 25 minutes. Stir every now and then to prevent the mixture from burning. Remove from the heat and cool. Stir the eggs into the cooled mixture. Sift the baking powder and white bread flour together and add to the fruit mixture. Mix well. Divide the batter between the prepared tins. Smooth the top using the back of a metal spoon. Bake for three hours or until a testing skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of each cake. Cool the cakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack covered with a clean dishcloth. If desired, sprinkle the cake with a little brandy (about 15 ml at a time) once a week. This will improve the flavour but is not essential.