Fruit Cake

I spent my Friday being a bit of domestic queen. Mostly I emptied out the bathroom and got rid of years worth of old soaps that had gone funny, and tanning lotions that were past their use-by dates. I can actually open drawers without things falling everywhere!

But I also snuck in a little kitchen time and made a good, old-fashioned boiled fruit cake. This cake is so yummy when its still a little bit warm on the inside.

From The Australian Woman's Weekly cookbooks.

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups mixed dried fruit

1/2 cup water

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

125g butter, chopped

1 tsp mixed spice

1/2 tsp bicard soda

brandy (optional)

1 egg

1 cup plain flour

1 cup SR flour

Method:

Combine fruit, water, sugar, butter, spice and soda in a large saucepan. Stir over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, then simmer covered for 5 min. Remove from heat and add a slug or two of brandy.

Cool to room temp (I often sit the pot in a sink of cold water if I'm in a hurry).

Preheat over to 160C/140C fan-forced. Grease deep 20cm cake tin and line with two layers of paper.

Add egg and flours to fruit mix, spread in pan, and cook for 90 mins or until cooked (I usually cut 10 mins off with my oven).