Just in time for Christmas! This month’s recipe comes from member Anne.
“I have a fabulous ‘no fail’ recipe for a fruit cake that I cut out of the Sydney Morning Herald’s Women’s page in 1992.” she said. “It is extremely easy to make, keeps up to four weeks in Queensland, and it tastes as if you have spent days marinating the dried fruit!’
Slices can be microwaved and served with custard or ice cream as a sweet. It freezes well.
The secret to the long shelf life is as follows:
Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, wrap the whole tin in a clean tea towel (I put a piece of grease proof paper over the top first) then wrap in a large beach towel or two smaller towels and allow to cool for 24 hours!
The result is a moist cake that keeps extremely well at room temperature.
Store in an airtight container.
I can honestly say this has never failed me. I have baked hundreds over the last 30 years!
Ingredients
- 2 cups of sultanas
- 1 cup of currants
- 1 cup of raisins
- 125 grams of butter or margarine spread
- 1 tsp each of mixed spice, cinnamon and ginger.
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 cup of soft brown sugar.
- 1 cup of water.
Method
- Preheat an oven to 180 degrees.
- Line a 23cm springform cake tin with baking paper.
- Combine the above in a saucepan and heat over a medium heat until combined. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat, turn into a large mixing bowl, and cool for about 10 minutes.
- Add two large, well beaten eggs.
- Sift in:
- 1 cup of plain flour.
- 1 cup of self raising flour .
- Mix thoroughly and turn into a prepared cake tin. Tap on the kitchen bench to reduce any air bubbles.
- Bake for 60 minutes. Ovens do vary, test at 55 minutes. The cake is cooked if a metal skewer comes out clean.
Read more stories from the Sandgate Guide print magazine here:
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- Podcast Review:Christmas Past
- New Netflix Christmas Classics
- Jungle Perch Kuhlia rupestris
- Steam Through History on Christmas Twilight Train
- Tis the Season for Giving…and Scamming?
- Next Step Beyond Year 12: Exploring Future Pathways
- Organic Gardening in December
- The Ghost of (Sandgate) Christmases Past
- All-Abilities Dance Takes Centre Stage At Sandgate
- Student Reporters Get the Scoop
- The Birds of Summer
- Nashville Students Collaborate With Musician For Road Safety
- Sparkle Into the New Year with Sandgate Celebrations
- Summer Fun Starts With Safe Swimming Habits
- Ready for Storm Season
- Uniting Church Celebrates 30 Years of Christmas Lights
- Festive Fun with Santa Water Sports on Sandgate Beach
- Fishing For School Holiday Ideas? Summer Fun Around Sandgate
- Shorncliffe Station Closes for Major Heritage Restoration
- Christmas is in the Air
- Try Curling: A Quirky Olympic Sport to Kick Off the New Year
