SHARON'S FRUIT CAKE

SHARON'S FRUIT CAKE image

Yield 18 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

200g Plain Flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
3/4 teaspoon Sharon's Sweet Spice Mix
200g Butter, softened
100g Light Brown Sugar
100g Dark Brown Sugar
4 nos. Eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon Golden Syrup/Honey*
1/2 Cup Reserved Fruit Soak Liquid
500g Dried Fruits (Red & Green Glace Cherries, Sultanas, Raisins, Mixed Citrus Peel
3/4 Cup Dark Rum
Zest and Juice of 1 orange
Can be substituted with Molasses or Treacle for a darker coloured cake.

Steps:

1. Soak dried fruits with rum, orange juice and zest for 24 hours. 2. Drain fruits and set aside. Reserve soaking liquid. 3. Preheat oven to 160 degree celsius. Grease and line the base of a 8 x 8 inch square tin. 3. Cream butter and sugar together till light and fluffy. 4. Slowly add in the eggs and beat well. 5.Reserve 50g of the flour. Sift the rest together with the rest of the dry ingredients. Fold in the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the soaking liquid. 6. Toss the 50g flour with the dried fruits. Gently fold in the fruits into the cake mixture. 7. Pour cake batter into prepared tin and bake in preheated oven for 1 hours or till cake is cooked. 8. Brush hot cake with some of the soaking liquid. 9. Cool cake completely. Brush once more with rum. Wrap cake in cling wrap and aluminium foil. Place in a container and store in a cool dry place for at least 1 month for cake to mature. 10. Brush cake with rum after 2 weeks then subsequently once every month till ready to consume.