Ingredients:
- 1kg fruitmix (I use 750g fruit mix and 250g mixed peel)
- 500g dates, pitted and chopped up
- 1½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
- 1 cup yellow or brown sugar
- 250g butter
- 1 cup boiled water
- Optional: Add 2 tots of brandy to the mixture
Method:
- Mix all the above ingredients in a big pot
- Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes
- Leave overnight
Next day:
Add the following to first mixture:
- 200g cherries, chopped and rolled in flour. It is important to roll the cherries in flour otherwise all the cherries will end up at the bottom of the cake once baked
- 3 cups flour
- 3 extra large eggs
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
Method
- Use a square size baking tin (20cm x 20cm)
- Layer the baking tin with 3 layers of heavy duty foil. Put butter on the last layer of foil, before the next step
- Using brown paper, add 3 layers. Put butter on the last layer of brown paper
- Add mixture to baking tin and bake at 180° for 1 hour uncovered
- After 1 hour, turn oven to 110° and cover cake with 3 layers of heavy duty foil on top
- Continue baking for 2½
- Leave in tin to cool down
- Wrap in foil and add 2 tots of brandy occasionally
