Place the dried fruit in a bowl with the brandy or orange juice and leave to soak for 2 hrs or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3. Grease an 18cm round deep cake tin and line the base and sides with a double thickness of baking paper.
Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat together until pale and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little of the flour is the mixture begins to curdle. Add the soaked fruit, orange zest, almonds, cherries and vanilla extract.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and spices and fold into the mixture with the milk. Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.
Bake for 1½-1¾ hrs until golden, firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15 mins then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Notes
Replace half the dried mixed fruit with finely chopped dried apricots and dates, if liked.