BOILED FRUIT CAKE (EASY CHRISTMAS CAKE)

If you're after an easy, one-pot, rich and delicious fruit cake, then this is the recipe for you. I can be made well ahead of time or the day before you need it.

Ingredients

1kg mixed fruit

250g butter, cut into 1 cm (1/2 inch) cubes

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup rum, sherry, brandy or orange juice

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups self-raising flour

2 tsp mixed spice.

Method

• Place the fruit, butter, sugar, alcohol or orange juice and vanilla extract into a large pot.

• Bring to the boil, then gently simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the fruit is plump and the sugar is syrupy.

• Allow to cool for one hour.

• Preheat oven to 160°C and grease and line a 23 cm (9 inch) square or round cake tin.

• Add the eggs to the fruit and mix until well combined.

• Sift in the flour and mixed spice, and mix until well combined.

• Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin.

• To store the cake, wrap in a layer of baking paper and then a layer of tin foil and keep in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 4 weeks.

Serves: 16

Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus cooling time (1 hour)

Cooking Time: 1 hour