Step 1

Chop all dry fruits and nuts to small bits. Keep the nuts separately.

Step 2

Add raisins, apricots, cranberries and citrus peels to a large mixing bowl.

Step 3

Bring 3/4 cup water to a boil. If using whole wheat flour use 1.5 tbsps more. Pour the hot water over the dry fruits. Leave them aside to cool.

Step 4

Add cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to a mini spice jar. Make a fine powder. You can also add a tbsp of sugar to the spices to help them powder finely. Set this aside to cool.

Step 5

When the mixture cools down, preheat the oven to 170 C for at least 15 mins.

Step 6

Add the brown sugar, melted butter, orange juice, vanilla and vinegar to the fruit mixture. Stir everything well.

Step 7

In another mixing bowl, sieve together flour, salt, spice powder and soda. You can discard any coarse bits of spices.

Step 8

Mix up the flour well once more and make a well in the center.

Step 9

When the oven is hot enough and past 12 to 15 mins, then give the fruit mixture a good stir. Pour it to the flour all at once. Make sure the fruit mixture has cooled down before adding it to flour.

Step 10

Mix gently with a spatula until you see no streaks of flour.

Step 11

Add in cherries and chopped nuts. Gently give it a good stir. Do not over mix.

Step 12

Pour this to a cake pan. Knock the pan twice to the kitchen counter. Don't over do this as the nuts will settle at the bottom.

Step 13

Keep it in the oven and bake at 170 C for 35 to 40 mins. If using a 8 inch pan it takes about 40 mins. If using a 9 inch pan it will be done around 32 to 34 mins. If baking in a loaf pan it takes about 50 to 55 mins.

Step 14

When the cake is done, a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Step 15

Cool the cake in the pan for 10 to 15 mins.

Step 16

Invert it on a wire rack carefully. Cool it completely before slicing.

Step 17

You can dust some powdered sugar over the eggless fruit cake.