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.