Wholemeal Old-Fashioned Fruit Cake

saucepan, 1kg/2lb loaf tin and 2 x mixing bowls

100g sultanas
100g raisins
100g currants
100g glace cherries
100g mixed peel
100g butter
100g soft brown sugar
1 lemon, grated rind and juice
2 tbsp rum, sherry or orange juice
2 eggs
150g Doves Farm Organic Fine Plain Wholemeal Flour
1 tsp cinnamon

150°C, Fan 130°C, 300°F, Gas 2

1. Measure the sultanas, raisins, currants, cherries, mixed peel, butter, sugar into a saucepan.
2. Finely grate the lemon rind into the pan, squeeze and add the lemon juice.
3. Put the pan over a gentle heat and stir until the sugar and butter have melted.
4. Increase the heat and stir until the mixture comes to the boil then remove the pan from the heat.
5. Cover and leave to cool.
6. Add rum, sherry or orange juice, cover and leave for up to 48 hours.
7. Pre-heat the oven 20 minutes before baking.
8. Line a 1kg/2lb loaf tin with parchment paper or insert a baking liner.
9. Break the eggs into a bowl and beat them together well.
10. Tip the eggs onto the soaking fruit and stir.
11. Measure the flour and cinnamon into a bowl and stir to combine.
12. Add the flour blend to the soaking fruit and mix everything together really well.
13. Transfer the mixture into the loaf tin and smooth the top.
14. Bake for 1¼ -1½ hours or until a toothpick pushed into the top of the cake comes out clean.
15. Leave to cool in the tin.
16. When quite cold turn out the cake and wrap it closely in kitchen foil or store it in a tin for up to a month.