Boiled Fruit Cake

(For the cousins, as promised:)

Boiled Fruit cake, a traditional Irish large-family standby.

Set your oven to 350 deg F or 175 deg C

Put a shelf across the middle of it

Line a large square cake tin or small roasting tin with baking paper or butter wrapper etc

The recipe makes plenty so you will need adequate cake tins: put the mixture in the tins about one-and-a-half to two inches deep.

Now mix the cake;

In a large saucepan, place the following 4 things:

Half lb block margarine ie Stork

¾ pint cold water

¾ lb ordinary sugar

2 lbs mixed dried fruit ie raisins currants etc

Boil them together for 5 mins then remove from heat and let cool a bit until lukewarm.

Meanwhile, sift together in a large bowl:

20 oz plain flour

1 teaspoon salt (5 ml, level)

2 teaspoons bread soda (ditto)

Cake spices if wished, ie cinnamon etc

Take the cooled mixture in the pot and beat in

4 eggs. [NB the mixture should be cool enough to not actually scramble the eggs!]

Dollop of booze if wished (ie tablespoon of whiskey)

Handful of candied peel if wanted

Handful of chopped walnuts: do not use if allergic people about, (obviously) but they do greatly improve both texture and flavour.

Stir all together in their pot: then add to them the sifted dry ingredients, mix thoroughly but gently.

Pour into tin or tins: level the top and slightly hollow out centre surface with back of a wet spoon

 and bake for about an hour and a quarter, then test, check until done. (it will look, feel and smell “done” but not scorched)

Cool in tin for a while before turning out, then cool completely before stripping off paper. Keeps for ages, allegedly, but doesn’t last long!

Great for holidays and large families etc.

Tip: beware of scorching: if your oven seems to be baking it too fast, turn heat down a little.

Sorry about the imperial measures, do your own sums!