Fruit Cake

The Fruitcake, a poor maligned desert if ever there was one. I admit the traditional candied fruit cake is overly sweet and a little over the top. But I do enjoy fruit cake a great deal. So here is a not too sweet recipe that makes for a very light and enjoyable cake.

• 8oz/2 cups of cooking dates with the stones removed
  
• 10 fl.oz/1 and a quarter cups of water (you could substitute a quarter cup of brandy or sherry for a quarter cup of the water if you like, my preference is brandy)
  
• 6oz/1 and a quarter cups of wholemeal flour (We used Organic Wheat since we couldn't quickly get the wholemeal)
  
• 1 lb/3 cups of mixed dried fruit of your choice - including lots of dried apricots works very well (I used apricots, golden raisins, and cherries)
  
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
  
• 1 teaspoon of mixed spice (I prefer 1/2tsp of all spice and 1/2tsp of cinnamon)
  
• 4 tablespoons of orange juice
  

For decoration: You can either do a traditional marzipan and white icing topping or use rows of different nuts such as walnuts, pecans, brazils and almonds. I prefer pecans.

Soak the fruits in brandy for about half an hour or so
Heat the dates and water until the dates are soft.
Remove from heat and mash.
Add all the other ingredients and mix well.
Spoon into a greased 2lb/900g cake tin and level top. I
f using the nut topping place rows of different nuts on top of the cake prior to cooking.
Bake at 170C/340F for about an hour and a half until cooked.
Once cooled the nut topping can be glazed with a little syrup (melt some sugar into hot water) or you can ice traditionally.

I have the ingredients to make this again and intend to do so tomorrow. Will post pics once I have them.