This was baked a little out of season, but I knew I probably wouldn't make this for our actual Christmas cake. I prefer the dark, brandy-soaked ones you have to make months in advance! This cake was nothing like that: a bake it and eat it straight away cake. I'd forgotten when I started preparing all the ingredients just how labour-intensive making fruit cakes is. It took me ages to chop all the fruit and nuts (a vast quantity, as you can see), but hardly any time at all to make the actual cake mixture. It was a real labour of love! I do like to see all the fruit mixed together though, and the smell always reminds me of Christmas, so it started to make me feel a little festive. 
Anyway, the cake took several hours to bake on quite a low temperature. I covered it in foil to prevent it going too dark on top, but was a too late to stop it catching on one side. I blame my lack of familiarity with a new oven, which is always burning things! After leaving it to cool in the tin for a while, the cake was easy to turn out, and had its first tasting during a family outing the following day. It was lovely and moist, absolutely crammed with fruit. I think the addition of pineapple is a really nice touch, and although I never fully dry it out (or the washed glace cherries), it doesn't seem to make to cake soggy. There was so much fruit in it, I didn't even notice if the cherries had sunk to the bottom (as they do if not dried enough). The cake was then divided into sections for my Dad, me and Joe, and Joe's colleagues. He took a big tin full to work (it was a hefty cake) and all of it was eaten. He said I'd managed to convert several people to the joys of fruit cake! It's a funny thing: lots of people have an aversion to fruit cake, but these lighter ones seem to be much more appealing. Baker's verdict: time-consuming but easy to make and very tasty. I'd definitely make it again.
Husband rating: 8/10 - it was nice and moist; a good fruit cake for someone who doesn't really like fruit cake.
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