Step 1

Preheat oven to 130°C (fan-forced). Grease an 18cm (base measurement) round cake tin with cooking oil spray. Line base and sides with a double layer of baking paper, allowing paper to extend about 3cm above rim of tin. Adjust oven rack so top of tin will sit in centre of oven.

Step 2

Place dried fruit, cranberries and fig in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in fruit spread, apple, orange rind and juice, and brandy. Set aside for 15 minutes to soak. Stir in eggs.

Step 3

Sift flour, cocoa, and spices into fruit mixture, adding husks from flour to bowl. Stir until well combined.

Step 4

Spoon mixture into prepared tin, pressing in firmly with back of a spoon. Smooth surface and tap tin on benchtop a few times to settle mixture. Cover with foil to prevent cake browning too quickly, then bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for a further 1¼ hours or until cooked when tested with a skewer and cake is firm to the touch in middle. Trim overhanging paper and wrap cake, still in tin, in 2 tea towels (to help keep it moist as it cools). Set aside overnight to cool completely. Serve.

Step 5

To decorate cake, if you like, cut out a stencil in a shape such as a snowflake. Place on cake and dust with icing sugar.