Fruity Christmas cake

Preheat the oven to 120 °C (250 °F) and butter the inside of a high, 25cm cake tin. 

Line the tin with three layers of baking paper and butter the inside again. 

Slowly heat the first eight ingredients to boiling point and let it simmer for 5 mins. 

Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool.

Add the cherries. 

Combine the eggs, vanilla and brandy together, and add it to the mixture. 

Add the flour, cinnamon and salt, and mix well. 

Spoon the mixture into the pan and bake for two hours. 

Let the cake cool in the pan and turn it out.

Sprinkle a bit of brandy over the cake and place it in an airtight container. 

Sprinkle more brandy over regularly to keep the cake moist.

Recipe reprinted with permission of Chef Mynhardt Joubert.