1-Making this easy rum almond cake recipe: starts with prepping your ingredients for the best results. Begin by soaking 100g sultanas, 100g raisins, 50g chopped dark glacé cherries, and 50g chopped crystallised ginger in 4 tablespoons of dark rum for a few hours or overnight. This step ensures the fruits absorb the rum, adding that rich flavor we love in a fruit cake with rum and almonds.

2-Gathering and Mixing the Batter: Once your fruits are ready, preheat your oven to 180°C (fan 160°C, gas mark 4) and prepare a 20cm cake tin by buttering and lining it. In a large bowl, beat 200g softened butter with 200g light muscovado sugar until creamy. Add 3 beaten eggs, 1 tablespoon black treacle, 220g self-raising flour, 2 teaspoons mixed spice, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1 teaspoon baking powder, mixing until the batter thickens.

3-Gathering and Mixing the Batter: Next, fold in the 2 small peeled and grated apples along with the soaked fruit and any remaining liquid. This combination makes the batter moist and full of depth. For more cake ideas, visit our carrot cake cheesecake bars to see how fruits enhance other bakes.

4-Baking and Finishing Touches: Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the cake is golden and springy, checking with a skewer for doneness. Once baked, cool the cake in the tin for a bit, then transfer it to a wire rack. After cooling, spread the almond buttercream icing made by beating 185g salted butter with 300g icing sugar and 1 teaspoon almond extract until fluffy. This tops the cake perfectly, as preparing in advance improves the taste even more.