Very nice dessert: for instance a fruitcake (5,2,1,3)

I believe the answer is:

sweet as a nut

'very nice' is the definition.

'dessert for instance a fruitcake' is the wordplay.
'dessert' becomes 'sweet' ('sweet' can be a synonym of 'dessert'**).
'for instance' becomes 'as'.
'fruitcake' becomes 'nut' (I've seen this before).
'sweet'+'as'+'a'+'nut'='SWEET AS A NUT'

(Another definition for sweet as a nut that I've seen is " That could be extremely good".)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.