Boiled Fruitcake

Just finishing the last of the boiled fruitcake that was leftover from supper for my knitting group. When my mother made a fruitcake, it was a boiled fruitcake, relatively cheap and quickly made. The special occasion, rich version that was made for fancy decorated cakes was referred to as 'wedding cake' and I can not recall it ever being made. It was not until I developed a taste for cake decorating that fruitcake became something other than boiled fruitcake.

This recipe is adapted from the one that my mother used, I have substituted sherry for the water, added treacle and  glace cherries. There is also a little glace peach that I had in the pantry, although, I do not usually add this. Stored in an airtight container, it will keep for a week or so.

Boiled Fruitcake

I pkt mixed fruit ( approx 400 g) 

125 g butter

1/2 cup sugar, I use dark brown

1/2 cup sherry

1 tablespoons treacle

1 cup flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon bicarb soda

1 teaspoons mixed spice

2 eggs

Optional

1 cup glace cherries

Method

Combine sherry, butter, treacle, sugar and mixed fruit in a large saucepan. Cook on low heat until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Bring to the boil. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool for at least 10 minutes

Stir in baking powder, bicarb soda and spice and glace cherries if using.

Add eggs and then stir in flour. Mix well

Spoon the cake mixture into a prepared cake tin* and bake at 150 deg C until cake is golden brown and test cleanly with a skewer, approximately an hour and a half.

I use a 9/10 inch round cake tin or 8/9 inch square or sometimes make two small cakes.

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