The following cakes use different methods giving them each a different texture, colour and taste. Dried fruit is excellent for fibre and apricots also contain healthy beta-carotene. Use mixed dried fruit, or any favourite combination of raisins, sultanas, currants and peel.
Mixed Fruit Cake
Ingredients
- 450g (1lb) mixed dried fruit
- 1 cup brown or white sugar
- 1 cup cold water
- 125g (4oz) margarine
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- a few chopped glacé cherries (optional)
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups self-raising flour
- ¼ teaspoon mixed spice
Method
- Put the fruit, sugar, water, margarine, bicarbonate and cherries into a pan.
- Place on the cooker and bring to the boil.
- Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from cooker, stir and leave overnight (or for several hours).
Later, or next morning, heat oven to 165C (325F)
- Add the eggs, flour and mixed spice to the cold mixture.
- Mix thoroughly.
- Put into 7 or 8 inch lined cake tin (or large loaf tin).
- Bake in middle of oven for a ½ hour.
- Turn oven down to 150C (300F).
- Bake for a further 1 and ½ hours.
- Cool in tin slightly, then turn on to a wire rack.
The following large cake uses tinned apricots, a good store cupboard item, which give a lovely moistness to the cake. It can be baked in a shallow roasting tin or a large cake tin, lined with foil. Or use half the quantity to make a loaf tin sized cake.
Apricot Fruit Cake
Ingredients
- 225g (8oz) soft margarine
- 225g (8oz) soft light brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- ½ teaspoon almond essence
- 400g (14oz) self-raising flour
- 450g (1lb) dried fruit
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 425g (14½ oz) can apricot halves, drained and chopped
Method
- Heat oven to 160C (325F).
- Cream the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs and almond essence gradually, adding a tablespoon of the flour with the last amount of egg.
- Fold in the rest of the flour, baking powder and all the fruit and carefully combine until mixed.
- Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
- Bake in oven for about 1½ hours until golden.
- Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn on to a wire rack.
- If freezing the cake, leave the foil on when cooling. When cold, wrap extra foil around the cake and freeze. To use, thaw for 3 to 4 hours at room temperature.
Sultana and Cherry Cake
Ingredients
- 225g (8oz) plain flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 175g (6oz) soft margarine
- 175g (6oz) caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 75g (3oz) glacé cherries, quartered,
- 75g (3oz) sultanas
- 1 tablespoon milk
- Sugar lumps, roughly crushed to decorate (optional)
Method
- Heat oven to 160C (325F).
- Sift flour into a bowl with baking powder.
- Add the margarine, sugar and eggs.
- Beat well for 2 to 3 minutes with a wooden spoon, or for 1 minute in an electric mixer until thoroughly mixed.
- Stir in the cherries, sultanas and milk and combine gently.
- Turn the mixture into a greased and lined loaf tin or round cake tin.
- Smooth surface and sprinkle with the crushed sugar lumps.
- Bake in oven for 1¼ to 1½ hours until risen and golden.
- Turn on to a wire rack, remove the lining and leave to cool completely.
- If freezing, wrap well in greaseproof paper and foil. To use, thaw for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature.
Fresh fruit can also be used for baking home-made cakes, such as easy banana cakes. Or why not try some quick and easy loaf cakes.
Rosemary Gemmell - Professional freelance writer of published short stories and articles in the UK, US and online. Author of historical romance and ...
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