Pistachio and Dried Fruit Cake with Orange

MY MOTHER used to bake this cake during Lent. We were not so religious as to follow the rules of the Church, which prohibited eating any food derived from animals during the forty days before Christmas and before Easter (and on many other occasions). We were simply continuing a family tradition which dictated that various foods or sweets should be made at a particular time of year.

The flavor of this cake is rich, and its texture is dense, much like an English fruitcake. It should b