BOILED FRUIT-CAKE

MY MOTHER'S RECIPE

Slowly bring to the boil in a large saucepan

1x 375g pack of dried mixed fruit

1/4 pound of butter (125g)

1 small cup sugar

1 tsp bicarb soda

1 tsp mixed spice

1 cup milk

(optionals - pack of extra glace cherries, other glace fruit, 100g or so of blanched almonds, 1 nip rum, 1 grated apple, glace ginger, 1/2 tsp powdered ginger)

after bringing to the boil - turn off the heat and let cool overnight. gently mix in:

2 well beaten eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1 cup self-raising flour

1 cup plain flour

pinch salt

(optional - another nip of rum)

pour into a greased, floured and papered 8" (20cm) round cake tin and bake in a moderate oven (350 deg F, 180 deg C) for 1- 1&1/2 hours till a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. turn out of tin and allow to cool before removing paper and icing to suit.

(optional - prick it well with the skewer and pour another nip of rum over it while still hot. for the traditional christmas cake it is made on Nov 25, is placed in an inverted cake tin and has a further nip of rum poured over it every three days till about 2 days before christmas when it is iced. it is cut on christmas eve - and don't drive home after eating it!!)