Bake a Cake

< Sometimes the winds of baking get to me and last Saturday just before Hari Raya, I got around to making carrot cake with cheese frosting, a fruit cake as well as chocolate chip cookies. Incidentally, my cousin called to tell me that she was in hospital with a fractured knee cap so my baking came in handy when I visited her. Also gave some to my neigbours and aunt.

Here's the receipe for my favourite boiled fruit cake. Great thing about this receipe is that you do not require a cake mixer to cream everything together. All can be done in a pot on a stove top 2 1/4 (375g) sultanas
1 1/2 cups (250g) raisins
1 1/2 (250g) currants
1/2 cup mixed peel
1 cup halved glace cherries
250g butter
1 cup brown sugar,firmly packed
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup water
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon golden syrup (can be substituted with treacle which will give the cake a darker look instead of brown)
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 3/4 cups of plain flour
1/3 cup self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Combine fruit, butter, sugar, brandy and water in saucepan. Stir constantly over heat without boiling until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, simmer covered 10 minutes. Transfer to large bowl, cool to room temperature.

Grease a deep 23com round (or deep 19cm square) cake pan, line base and side with baking paper.

Add eggs, golden syrup and rinds to fruit mixture, stir until combined. Stir in sifted dry ingredients. Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan. Bake in moderate oven for an hour or so (this ranges from oven to oven, do check constantly for the first time)
Getting to know an oven is like getting to know a friend. Takes time but is rewarding :)

Keeping time : 3 months