Pear and Ginger Spice cake

Pear and Ginger Spice cake

1 cup raisins

1/4 cup Brandy

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp mixed spice

pinch salt

140 gm butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 lge eggs

2 lage pears, cored and chopped

75 gm glace ginger chopped

1 cup walnuts

castor sugar

Soak raisins in brandy. Sift flour, baking powder, spice and salt into a bowl. Cream butter and sugar till pale and fluffy. Add eggs one a t a time beating well after each. Gradually fold in flour mixture into creamed mix. Add pears, ginger, walnuts, raisins and brandy. Place in a greased 25cm cake tin and bake for 1 1/2 hrs at 180 deg. Remove from oven, stand for a few minutes then cool on rack Sprinkle with castor sugar.