I've been making fruit cakes for 40 years and apparently its a speciality of mine.
I've made wedding cakes for relatives and every year for 30 years I would make and give a cake to 3 close friends. This cake is so moist.

Now Im going to share the recipe with you.
Please read notes at the bottom.

Ingredients

Fruit
375 g sultanas
170 g currents
170 g raisins
125g dried apricots chopped
200g pitted prunes chopped
200g pitted dates chopped
1 jar fig jam or marmalade (370g)
1/3 cup alcohol ( brandy, scotch ect) I use scotch or substitute with orange or apple juice
2/3 cup orange juice

Cake

1 3/4 cups plain flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 cup brown sugar
115g unsalted butter softened
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind
1 apple peeled and grated
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

METHOD

Fruit

Add all fruit mixture ingredients into a large bowl and microwave on High for 2 minutes then cover and set aside for at least one hour. This allows the fruit to soak together. (see notes) I sometimes then leave a day or two before making the cakes but its just a time thing for me

CAKE

1. Preheat oven 150°C or 130°C fan-forced
Grease 2 loaf pans and double line with baking paper so it over hangs.(see notes)

2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour,baking powder, spices and salt. Set aside

3. In a bowl using an electric mixer cream the softened butter and brown sugar together on medium to high speed for 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add eggs one at a time beating until each egg is just mixed in.

4. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture until just absorbed. Add the fruit mixture, rind, juice and grated apple. Using a spoon or spatula mix, scraping sides and bottom to make sure mixture is evenly incorporated . It will be thick and heavy.

5. Divide mixture among the two loaf pans. Using a spatula or spoon smoth the top. Lift the overhanging baking paper so its standing up. It acts like a shield.

6. Double line a baking tray with baking paper and place the two loaf pans on top.
Bake on middle shelf of oven for 90 minutes or until golden brown on top. The edges would have pulled slightly away from pan. May need a little longer

7. Remove from oven and leave in pans and cover tightly with a double layer of foil. Then, cover with a towel doubled and leaving to cool slowly for 12 hours or more is ok but not less.

Remove carefully from pan. I will then put one in a container and the other one I wrap in plastic and a zip lock bag and put in the fridge. Will last around 8 weeks.

This cake gets better with age

NOTES

1. I used to soak my fruits for 4 to 6 weeks until I read by putting it in the microwave for 2 minutes then cooling it works the same. And it does.

2. If you don't want to use alcohol just substitute it with juice.

3. You can basically use any dried fruit as long as it adds up to roughly 1.1 kg to 1.2kg
If you want less sultanas and more currents or apricots that's fine.

4. I hate mixed peel and glaced fruit eg cherries which are in a lot of fruit cakes. If you want to use it just add it to the fruit mixture I would add 3/4 of a cup.

5. I used to make the cakes larger in a normal cake pan but I found the loaf pans take half the time to cook and its easier to cut. This mixture is for 2 x loaf pans or 1 square deep 20cm pan if using 20cm pan than cooking time will increase to 3 hours

6. If you are making this at Xmas then before putting cakes in oven top with almonds and glaced cherries I make flower patters with almonds and a cherry in the centre. I also brush top of caje with scotch as soon as it comes out of oven

7. I have always used fig jam but marmalade works just as good

8. Also is delicious served with custard or icecream