Dried fruits and nuts to cut into uniform pieces about 1x1 cm and a week before baking, cover them with brandy. Also adding zest, two kinds of juice and spices, mix well. Put in the refrigerator and each day stir to everything is evenly soaked.

The softened butter vzbit with sugar for 5 minutes. Add the eggs one by one while continuing to mix, add salt.

To the egg-butter mixture, add nuts pan-fried and shredded into fine crumbs, mix well.

Next, add lemon zest, ginger, brandy and sifted flour with baking powder, mix well. In a separate bowl to defer 5 tbsp of dough.

In the dough add cognac-soaked dried fruits and mix well. The bottom of the form (d - 24 cm) lay a parchment, grease with 1 tsp of vegetable oil. Put the dough, flatten it, put a pending dough (this is necessary in order for the fruit during baking didn't burn).

Bake in a preheated 140 degree oven for 3-3. 5 hours (my cake was ready in 2 hours 40 minutes). The finished cake hot grease cognac without removing from the mold, then wrap in foil and leave for 12 hours at room temperature. The cooled cupcake to get out of shape wrap in parchment, then in foil and put in a bag and leave for 2-4 weeks. Every week the cupcake should be lubricated with cognac and back to pack. Bon appetit and happy holidays!