Boozy Fruit Cake

This cake contains no added fat and is low on processed sugar but is rich and delicious. Keeps in a cool place for up to a week. If you add marzipan or icing it will up the sugar content.

8 oz (250g) dates
8 fl oz (240ml) water
3 oz (85g) plain wholemeal flour
3 oz (85g) plain white flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp mixed spice
12 oz (340g) mixed dried fruit
4 oz (115g) chopped dried apricots
3 oz (85g) mixed nuts, roughly chopped
4 tbsp orange juice
4 tbsp rum

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/340F/gas mark 4.
2. Place the dates and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook gently for five minutes or until soft. Mash, then add all the other ingredients and mix well.
3. Spoon into a greased 2lb/900g cake tin and smooth the top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours.
4. To give this a Christmas touch put half the mixture in the tin, then a thin layer of marzipan, and place the rest of the mixture on top and bake. This way the marzipan melts into the cake and is delicious. Alternatively put marzipan and white icing on the top in the traditional way.