Fruit and nut cake from Bologna (certosino di Bologna)

Step 1

Warm the honey in a saucepan and, when it is completely liquid, pull off the heat and stir in half the chopped candied fruit.

Step 2

Put the flour in a large bowl, then add the chopped almonds, pine nuts, baking powder, spices, cocoa, chopped chocolate, jam, marsala and the honey/candied fruit mix.

Step 3

Stir gently but thoroughly, then pour into a greased and floured tin – ideally a ring tin, but a round 25cm cake tin will work, too. Leave to rest for four hours.

Step 4

Decorate the cake with the remaining 75g candied fruit, whole almonds and walnut halves, then bake at 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 for 45 minutes, until firm.

Step 5

Take out of the oven, leave to cool a little, then take out of the tin and leave to cool completely.

Step 6

Brush with warm honey, then slice and serve.