Boiled Fruit Cake

2lb Luxury dried fruit

1/2 lb butter

1/2 lb soft brown sugar

4 tbsp brandy/rum

4 tbsp water

5 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tbsp black treacle

2 tsp grated orange rind

2 tsp grated lemon rind

8 oz plain flour

2 oz self raising flour

1/2 tsp bicarb

Tsp mixed spice 

Grease and line an 8 inch tin to 3 thicknesses of paper. Tie a double thickness of paper around the outside. Cover top with tin foil when the cake starts to brown. 

Combine fruit, butter, sugar, brandy and water. Stir over a low heat without boiling until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and  simmer covered for 10 mins.

Transfer to a large bowl and cool to room temperature.

Add eggs, treacle and rinds and stir in sifted dry ingredients. Spread evenly in tin. Bake in a slow oven, 150 degrees, for about 2 1/2 hours then wrap in foil until cool. 

From Heather. 

 

Here are 2 delicious recipes that I have done!

 

Lemon and raspberry sponge.

 

200g margarine

200g caster sugar

4 medium eggs

200g SR flour

 

Filling.

 

100g softened butter

250g Icing sugar

zest of 1 lemon

2tbsp lemon juice

50g Raspberries

 

Topping

 

2 Large lemons

150g granulated sugar

 

Method.

 

Oven 180C

Grease two 7" sandwich tins and add some flour to coat the tins.

 

Cream the marg and caster sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat all the eggs then gradually add to cake mix, sift the flour into the ingrediants and lightly blend.

Divide mixture equally between the tins place into oven  for approx 25mins until golden and cake  springs back when touched.

Whilst in the oven make the topping by squeezing the lemons into a bowl, add the granulated sugar and mix into juice.

 

Make buttercream by beating sifted icing suar into the butter when well mixed add lemon juice to flavour.  Place the raspberries into a bowl and lightly mash with a fork, just to break slightly.

 

When cake is cool enough cover one half with the buttercream add the raspberries on top, place the second cake onto the rasberries.  Take the lemon and sugar mix and drizzle on the top of the sponge.

 

 

 

Fruitcake Cookies-

180C; 350F; gas 4; Aga - medium oven

275g plain flour; half tsp baking powder; 200g porridge oats - mix these
well in a bowl.
225g softened butter; 250g soft brown sugar - creamed together in
another bowl.
Add: 75g treacle or golden syrup [we prefer the syrup, but you can try
both], 2tsp brandy, 2tsp vanilla extract, 2tsp almond extract and 2
large eggs (or 1 duck egg)
Beat until mixture is smooth.
Add the flour/porridge mix with 75g raisins, 110g chopped pecans, 50g
chopped almonds and 400g chopped glace cherries.  Blend until just mixed.
Drop tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased baking tray approx 4cm apart.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until cookies are set.
Allow pan to cool for few minutes, then transfer cookies to cool flat
surface.

Half-Term Baking!

During Half-Term I cooked 3 delicious cakes - Welsh Cakes, Banana Cake and Chocolate Courgette Cake.

1) Welsh Cakes

Ingredients:
250g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
100g unsalted butter
100g caster sugar
100g currants
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp milk

Method:
Rub the butter into the flour and add in the sugar, salt, currants, egg and milk to form a dough. Roll or pat out to 6-7 mm thick and cut into circles about 6 cm wide. Heat an ungreased pan and drop the cakes into it and cook for about 3 minutes or until golden brown on both sides.

2) Banana Cake

Ingredients:
4oz Self Raising Flour
2oz Butter/Stork Margarine
3oz Caster Sugar
2oz Sultanas/Raisins
2oz Glace Cherries/Dried Apricots
½ oz Chopped Walnuts (or more !!)
1 Egg
½ pound Bananas (about 2)

Method:
Rub the fat into the flour
Add the sugar sultanas cherries and walnuts, mix together
Make a hollow in the centre and add the beaten egg and mashed banana
Mix well and turn into a lined loaf tin
Bake at about 180c for approx 45 minutes
Cool slightly before removing from the tin

3) Chocolate Courgette Cake

Make a chocolate sponge and simply add 400g of finely grated courgette!

Pavlova

Yesterday I made Pavlova - An absolutely delicious dessert. The recipe was sent to me by Carole.

Ingredients:

3 Large egg whites
6 oz castor sugar
2 teaspoons corn flour
1 teaspoon vinegar

Cream - double or whipping

Fruit - I used raspberries

Method:

Whisk the egg whites until they become stiff, then whisk in half of the sugar. Fold in the other half as well as the corn flour and vinegar. Spread the mixture into a circle on greased paper and create an edge. Cook the meringue for 1 1/2 hours at gas mark 1 / 140 degrees Celsius.

 When the meringue is cooled whisk the cream and add in half the raspberries. Put the cream and raspberries on the meringue. Then put the other half of the raspberries on top.

This is such a nice recipe that is quite easy to make. I highly suggest you try it!

Scones

Afternoon tea anyone? I made some delicious scones that are perfect for jam and cream.

Ingredients:
100 g butter
450 g sr flour
300 g sugar
1 egg
250 ml milk

Method:
Rub butter into flour and stir in sugar. Mix egg with milk and add to the mixture. Knead until it creates a dough. Pat on roll the dough until it is about 3 cm thick and cut into circles. Place on a baking tray and bake for 10 - 12 minutes.

 This recipe creates quite a few -  so unless you're having a garden party you might be eating scones for your breakfast for a few days!

Gingerbread Cookies

This recipe is of Gingerbread Cookies that are so very moreish! It was sent to me by Buffy.

Ingredients:
12 oz plain flour
2 teaspoons  ground ginger
1 teaspoon bicarb
4 oz butter
6 oz brown sugar
4 tablespoons golden syrup
1 egg

Method:
Sift flour, ginger and soda. Rub in the butter. Add sugar. Stir in syrup and egg. Knead until it becomes a dough. Roll out until it is about 1/4 inches thick and cut into any shape you want. Put onto a baking tray and bake at 180 degrees centigrade for 10 - 12 minutes.

 These biscuits were very delicious. My little brothers kept trying to steal them they were so good!

Devil's food cake

Devil's food cake is a sinfully tasty recipe that was amazing to make! It was given to me by my Aunty Sally.

Ingredients:
 2oz cocoa
7 1/2 fl oz water
4 oz butter
10 oz caster sugar
2 eggs
6 oz plain flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarb

Frosting:
1 lb caster sugar
4 1/4 water
 2 egg whites

Method:
Mix the cocoa and water together in a jug and leave to 1 side. Mix the butter and sugar together. Whisk the eggs and add to the butter and sugar. Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarb into the mix and add the cocoa and water. Share between 2 lined tins and place in the oven at gas mark 4.

 When cooked all of the way through leave to cool. When the cakes are almost cool put sugar and water into a bowl and boil over hot water. Meanwhile whisk the egg whites until frothy. Then add the syrup to the egg and mix over boiling water until thick.

 Put the frosting on both cakes and stack them. Enjoy! :)



 If I make this recipe again I will probably make buttercream icing because it is less sweeter than the American frosting, but over all it was a lovely spongy cake!