My Family's Fruit Cake

Now, I am very fussy when it comes to fruit cake. I dislike fruit cakes that have a lot of sugar in them, and I always like to eat mine cold. But this recipe, handed down from my grandmother, is perfect! You may be able to convert non-fruit cake eaters via this recipe.

Ingredients
125g butter [or margarine]
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk
500g mixed fruit (eg. sultanas, raisins, dried pinneapple, cherries, dates) (I always add more)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 eggs
1 cup plain flour, sifted
1 cup self-raising flour, sifted
1 cup dry sherry (plus an optional dash or two more)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tbsp milk, extra
handful of almonds
6-8 blanched almonds for decoration
Method
Place in a saucepan butter, sugar, milk and fruit and spices. Stir until boiling; reduce heat; simmer for 5 minutes. Take off the heat and stir in almonds. Let cool completly and then add the sherry and soda. Beat eggs; add to fruit mixture; add sifted flours and extra milk. Place mixture in deep 20cm round cake tin which has been greased and lined. Decorate top of cake before putting in the oven with blanched almonds. Bake in oven on 180 degrees (fan-forced) for around 1 3/4 hours or until skewer is clean.