Basic Fruit Cake

This fruit cake has no pretentions and is one that my Step-grandmother Leila made regularly for weddings - she was quite clever with cake decorating.

Make sure you check out Making Fruit Cakes after you have read the recipe and before you begin making the cake.

Ingredients:

• • 250g butter

  • 1 cup castor sugar

  • 6 eggs

  • 1.2kg mixed fruit

  • 1 1/2 cups SR flour

  • 1 cup plain flour

  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts (any nuts except peanuts would work)

  • 1/4 cup coffee essence

  • 1/4 cup caramel (made from 1/2 cup water plus 1 cup sugar)

  • 1/4 cup rum

  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

  • 1/2 tsp mixed spice

  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg

  • 1 tsp vanilla essence

  • 1 tsp lemon essence

Method:

• 1. Cream butter and sugar

  2. add eggs and mix well

  3. combine flour and fruit together

  4. add the flour and fruit mixture to the wet mixture

  5. add all the other ingredients

  6. pour into a well lined tin and bake in a slow oven for 2 to 3 hours