Mix together the dried fruit with 1/4 cup of brandy and set aside while you prepare the pans and batter.

Line an 8" springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom and the sides. Place the pan on a baking sheet to catch any butter leakage when it is baking.

Mix the spices with the flour and set aside for a moment.

Beat together the butter, brown sugar, molasses and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs.

Beat in the ground almonds and then slowly stir in the flour and spice mixture using a wooden spoon or use a paddle attachment of a stand mixer.

Stir in the dried fruit mixture making sure the batter is uniformly mixed with the dried fruit.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread it so that the top is reasonably flat.

Bake at 325 F for 1 hour 45 mins to 2 hours or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the centre of the cake and the top of the cake is evenly dark brown.

Let the cake cool for a half hour in the pan and then let it cool further on a rack. Place mostly cooled cake in a cake tin with a lid that has been lined with a piece of parchment paper large enough to wrap around the cake. Poke lots of holes in the cake with a skewer and sprinkle two or three tablespoons of brandy over the cake.

Make this cake three or four weeks before you plan to serve it and douse the cake with a couple tablespoons of brandy each week as it matures.