Step 1

This cake can bake in a large bundt pan, or in 2 regular loaf pans. If using a bundt pan, grease it very well and lightly dust with flour. If using loaf pans, lightly grease them and line with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Step 2

Chop the cherries in half and toss them together in a bowl along with the raisins and mixed peel. Set aside.

Step 3

Sift together 2 cups of the flour with the baking powder and set aside.

Step 4

Cream together the sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extracts for several minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl a couple of times during this process.

Step 5

Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute or so between additions. Stir in the orange zest.

Step 6

Gently fold the flour and baking powder into the creamed mixture until the flour is almost fully incorporated.

Step 7

At that point toss the cherries and other fruit in the ¼ cup reserved flour and add them to the batter. Any flour that doesn't stick to the fruit gets added too. Fold until the flour is fully incorporated and the fruits are evenly dispersed throughout the batter.

Step 8

Bake for about an hour in the loaf pans or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. The bundt pan may take several minutes more, mine took 1 hr 20 minutes; the loaf pans may need a little less, depending on your oven and the type of pans you are using. Always check your cakes a few minutes ahead of time and then every five minutes thereafter to make sure they do not over bake.

Step 9

When fully baked, let the cakes rest in the pans for 10-15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 10

When cooled completely, take a large wooden skewer and pierce the bottom of the cake in a couple of dozen places, pushing the sewer about half way through the cake.

Step 11

I use a pointy nozzle squeeze bottle to soak the orange brandy into the cake. Add 2 ounces of brandy to the bottle and screw the nozzle on. Slowly disperse the orange brandy over the bottom of the cake, taking care that it soaks into the holes that you created with the skewer. Let the brandy soak in for 30-60 minutes, then turn the cake over and repeat the same process on the other side.

Step 12

Wrap the cake in plastic wrap or in a sealed container and leave for a couple of days.

Step 13

After a couple of days, you can repeat the entire soaking procedure again. Let the cake rest after the second soaking for a couple of days if you plan on freezing this cake. If not, then baking it a couple of weeks in advance of Christmas is enough.

Step 14

However you plan to store it, wrap it in several layers of plastic wrap before freezing or storing in an airtight tin or other container.