I’ve enjoyed fruit cakes since I was a kid. This is a very simple recipe and is made from low cost ingredients. You’ll find as you get more experienced with the basic recipe you can vary the ingredients to more suit your taste.
You can eat the cake when cooled but I prefer the cake the next day when the fruit has amalgamated with the hardened cake. It’s a great to have a slice in your lunchbox. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 225g Self-raising flour
- 110g Butter (or margarine)
- 225g Granulated Sugar
- 140g Dried mixed fruit (sultanas/currents/mixed peel. You may prefer less, say 100g).
- Zest of half a lemon (optional)
- 2 Eggs, beaten
- A few tsps milk
Method
- You’ll need a 22-25cm cake time. I use a spring form tin (like these from Amazon). It doesn’t need to be high as the cake does not rise that much. Line the base and sides with greaseproof paper.
- Sieve flour and rub butter in.
- Add sugar, dried mixed fruit and lemon zest. Mix well and ensure that the fruit is not lumped together.
- Add the beaten eggs and mix well.
- This stage is crucial! We are looking for a dropping consistency. If you take a large spoonful it should only just drop off the spoon. Add milk to achieve this, but only a teaspoonful at a time. I’ve found the drier the better. If you make it too wet it will still be good, but it will be a different sort of cake.
- Add to tin and smooth out.
- Sprinkle a little sugar over the top, just a few pinches/half a teaspoon.
- 1 hour at Gas mark 4 / 180C.
- Leave on a rack to cool in tin and then carefully remove.
