ECONOMICAL FRUIT CAKE

ECONOMICAL FRUIT CAKE

My go to Economical Fruit Cake. Kan op gejazz word om ryker en duurder te wees.
1Kg Fruit Mix
230g Margerien
2 Cups Sugar
3 teaspoons Bicarb
2 Cups boiling water
Boil for 25 minutes and allow to cool to blood temperature (should be able to touch with finger)
Add 200g cherries

Beat 4 egss well and add
¼ cup Brandy
¼ cup Milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Add to cooled mixture – My nuutste twist is om dit op die stadium oornag te laat staan
Sift together and add to wet mixture
4 Cups Flour
3 teaspoons Baking Powder
2 teaspoons mixed spice
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Pinch salt
Baking method is overnight and is for double recipe for large cake.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes then
250 for 1 hour then
200 until done (you will start smelling the cake)

If single recipe and 1 cake approx 20 cm square then bake at 350 for ½ hour turn down to 300 and bake till done (always go on smell)

When cake has cooled slightly pour (I use a spray bottle to spray brandy) ½ cup brandy or Van der Hum. Does not need to be dosed and matured but that will obviously enhance the flavour.

TO MAKE A RICHER AND MORE DELICIOUS (and expensive cake)
I amend the recipe as follows:

Replace 200g fruit mix with mixure of glace fruits ie Watermelon Konfyt,fig ,pinapple,apricot , gingerand some dates. If I know the cake is going to be eaten within a few months I add approx 200g slivered almonds or nuts of choice

Add to egg mixture ½ teaspoon almond essence
¼ teaspoon rum essence
¼ teaspoon brandy essence

Add to flour mixture ½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon cloves

Recipe by Val Ashbury