Fruit Cake

Ingredient

Quantity:	Measure:	Ingredients:	Description:
500	Grammes	Raisins	Black
500	Grammes	Mixed Peel
2	Tablespoon	Rum
250	Grammes	Flour, Maida - (Refined)
250	Grammes	Butter
250	Grammes	Sugar, powdered
5	Nos	Eggs
2, 1/2	Teaspoon	Essence, Vanilla
1/2	Teaspoon	Mixed Spice	Powder
1/2	Teaspoon	Nutmeg powder
25-30	Ml.	Caramel	Color

Method

Preparation of Fruit Mix:   Mix raisins and mixed peel cut in small pieces - can include some cut cherries, (the fruit should weigh 1 kilogram)-, in a bowl and sprinkle with two tablespoons of rum or brandy, cover and stand for a few days.   On the day of baking the cake, remove the fruitfrom the bowl, and mix with some flour so that the fruit does not sink.

Preparation of the Cake Mix.

Cream butter and sugar till light and creamy.   Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. You can use an electric hand mixer.   Before adding the last egg, add two table spoons of flour to the mixture. This will prevent the mixture from curdling.   Fold in the maida with a wooden spoon.   Also add the essence and spice powders.   Add the caramel color to give a brown tinge. Lastly fold in the fruit .

Preparation of baking tin.

Cut a strip of grease proof paper about 15 cm wide, and long enough to line the circumference of the tin. Remember to allow a few centimeters for the ends to overlap. Fold one of the long edges, up about 2 centimeters. Cut the paper at 2 cm intervals from the edge of the paper to the fold. Place the strip of paper inside the greased tin, fringed edge down, fit snugly around the sides allowing fringed edges to overlap the base. Place the cake tin on top of two sheetsof brown and two sheets of grease proof paper and trace around the outside of the tin. Cut out, and place paper on to the base of the tin, which has been duly greased.

Spoon the cake mixture into the lined tin, making sure it gets right into the corners. Wet hands and smooth the top of the cake. Bake for recommended time, 2 1/2 to 3 hours at 150 degrees centigrade. Fill upto 3/4ths of the height of the tin.

Insert a stainless steel skewer into the center of the cake and slowly withdraw it. If the cake is sufficiently baked the skewer will come out of the cake, as cleanly as it went in. Continue baking at the same temperature, if the cake mixture clings to the skewer.