yvonne’s
fruit cake
Yvonne lived
across the road from us. In October every year, she baked Christmas cakes
as gifts. The recipients had instructions to sprinkle the cake weekly with
brandy, till Christmas. This task could usually be left to the man of the
house, who would carry it out faithfully if in some cases a bit
over-generously.
 | 250gr glazed mixed fruit |
| 250gr cake mix fruit |
| 125gr butter |
| 1 cup sugar |
| 1/4 cup brandy |
| 1 tsp bicarb |
| 1tsp mixed spice |
Soak fruit overnight in brandy. Boil all the above together gently for
20 minutes. Cool. Add one large egg.
Sift together: 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, pinch of salt.
Add 125 chopped nuts and 100gr glazed cherries, mix and make
sure nuts and cherries are separated and well floured to prevent sinking.
Mix well with boiled mixture.
Bake for 90 minutes at 350F in a well greased, floured and lined tin.
Mature for 1 -3 months, sprinkle more brandy from time to time.
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sharmayn’s
fruit cake
Sharmayn may not know how to spell her name, but she
certainly knows how to make a quick, easy and inexpensive Christmas cake.
I was given this recipe by my friend Sue’s mother, Babs, who
lived next door to Sharmayn.
list one:
| 1 tin condensed milk |
| 1 tin water |
| 250 gr butter |
| 500gr mixed fruit |
|
list two:
| 1 tsp bicarb |
| 1/2 cup each cherries and nuts |
| 1/2 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg |
| 3 eggs |
| 2.5 cups flour |
| pinch salt |
| 1tsp instant coffe |
| 1 tsp allspice |
|
Boil the ingredients on LIST ONE together for 3 minutes.
Add the ingredients on LIST TWO.
Bake at 140-160C, 90 minutes to two hours, in well greased and floured
tin.
Syrup: Boil together 1/2 cup brandy and 3 tablespoons golden
syrup - pour over hot cake.
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hazel’s
fruit cake
Auntie Hazel always had this fruit cake on
offer at her house in Lichtenburg. The first time I went to visit her
daughter, Cousin Hazie, in Adelaide, there was Auntie Hazel’s fruit cake
on the table at teatime, and Hazie gave me the recipe. It is a light
yellow cake, very wholesome and keeps for a long time in a tin. This
recipe makes two medium cakes.
| 500gr butter |
| 500gr caster sugar |
| 8 eggs |
| 100ml brandy or whiskey |
| 500gr sifted flour |
| ikg mixed fruit (floured to prevent sticking and sinking) |
Cream butter and sugar together.
Add the eggs one by one, beating well after each.
Add the brandy, then the sifted flour and the fruit.
Stir through well.
Grease and flour 3 tins. Lining with baking paper won’t hurt - fruit
cakes are prone to stick.
Bake for 3 - 4 hours at 110C.
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anna's
fruit cake
I bought a box of mixed
fruit at the supermarket; this recipe was on the back. I gave it a go and
it turned out to be very easy and delicious. I ended up making six and
giving them away as Christmas presents.
| 375gr mixed dried fruits |
| 3/4 cup soft brown sugar |
| 1tsp mixed spice |
| 1/2 cup water |
| 125gr butter |
| 1/2 cup sherry |
| 2 eggs, lightly beaten |
| 2tbs marmalade |
| 1 cup self-raising flour |
| 1 cup plain flour |
| 1/2 tsp bicarb (baking soda) |
TOPPING (OPTIONAL)
| chopped nuts |
Place fruit, sugar, spice,
water and butter in saucepan and bring to boil. Simmer for 3 mins, then
remove and allow to cool.
Add sherry, eggs and
marmalade.
Fold in sifted ingredients,
mixing well.
Place mixture in a greased and
lined 20cm round cake tin. If desired, sprinkle chopped nuts on top.
Bake in slow oven (150C) for
about 2 hours or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cover loosely with a
sheet of foil opr brown paper if cake overbrowns towards end of cooking
time.
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Weddings