SXMS: Fruitcake

You may think that the time to bake your Christmas fruitcake has long come and gone. HA! You're wrong. You may also think that all fruitcakes are heavy, dry and awful, only useful to throw at the rellies, with harm intended. HA! Wrong again.

This recipe makes a deliciously-moist fruitcake that lasts for months. Sure, you can feed it brandy for a couple of months, but it doesn't really need it. Feel free to hide coins among the ingredients before baking - but warn great-aunt Nellie, or you may have a choking on your hands....

Quick, Easy Fruitcake

In a large pot (or microwave dish), heat:

• 500 g packet dried-fruit cake mix (sultanas, raisins, mixed peel etc.)
• 1 1/2 Tbs fruit mince (optional)
• 120 g pitted dates (seperate them if packed in a block, and chop in half or leave whole - they kinda disintegrate as you cook this)
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1 c margarine
• 1/2 c water

Boil and stir (or microwave till hot, then boil and stir) for 5 minutes. Allow to cool.

Add:

• 250 g (or 1/2 c) cherries - the preserved ones in syrup (red, red+green or bits and pieces of both) - halve them if you want them to go further
• 5 ml (1 tsp) bicarbonate of soda
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 1/2 c flour
• 5 ml (1 tsp) baking powder
• pinch of salt

Line a cake tin with baking paper, grease well (or non-stick-spray a rectangular baking dish if you want squares) and pour in cake mix. Bake at 160C for 45 minutes, or until done in the middle.

NOTE: You may need to watch that it doesn't burn around the edges if you're using a deep baking dish - it will cook better if baked shallow. If you're doing the deep-dish variety, bake at a lower temp for longer.

* If you've got leftovers a month or two down the line, they go well with hot custard or in a trifle-type dessert.