The day before you want to make the cake: Tip the dried mixed fruit into a large bowl and pour the strong tea over the top. Leave to stand over night or up to 24 hours to allow the fruit to swell and absorb the tea.
The next day, pre-heat the oven to 170ºC. Grease the cake tin and line the sides and bottom with baking paper.
Add the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and spices to a large bowl. Tip in the soaked dried fruit, nuts and brandy and stir well to combine - it should come together as a firm but not too dry mix.
Spoon into the prepared cake tin, spread out and tap on the worktop to make sure there are no air bubbles in the wrong place. Cut another round piece of baking paper with a small hole in the middle, and place on top of the cake mix. This stop the top of the cake becoming too brown.
Place the tin in the oven and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes. Check the cake after 1 hour to make sure it's firming up well, and take the top baking paper off if its looking too pale.
Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Leave it to rest until completely cold then wrap it up in clean greaseproof paper and tin foil. Store in a cool, dark place.
If you want to add more brandy, do this on a weekly basis. Unwrap the cake, prick a few holes in the top and carefully drizzle 2 tablespoons of brandy over it. Then wrap it all back up again and repeat the following week until you want to ice it.
