Fruit cake - boiled

I have arthritus which means making some items rather difficult, grating the zest for lemon curd and in this instance mixing a good fruit cake by hand.  I have not made a christmas cake from scratch for a few years, as living on my own and not owning a Kenwood Chef or other such appliance, I just do not have the ability to mix a full on fruit cake.

Therefore I was delighted when I cam across boiled fruit cake recipes - who knew???  I can now easily make fruit cakes again.

Equipment:

• 1 x 9 inch springform cake tin or 2 x 2lb loaf tins -Grease and four the tin(s).  Cut strips of greasproof paper, fold so that it covers all of the tin and is about 2 inches higher than top of tin.  Then wrap around the tin(s) and tie off with string. 
• Stock/stew pot

Note:  It is important to make sure you prep up all the ingredients in advance.

Ingredients
4 oz soft brown sugar
8 oz butter
1lb mixed fruit - if you do not like mixed peel make up your own mix
3 tsp mixed spice
3/4 pint milk
6 oz glace cherries - chopped and rolled in flour
4 eggs - beaten
12 oz self-raising flour (pre-sifted with bicarb soda)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Demerara sugar to decorate

Temperature 160C
Timings:
9 inch tin - check after about 1 hr 30 minutes test and cook for longer if not cooked through
2 x loaf tins - check after 40 minutes
          

• Put the first 5 ingredients into the stock pot and slowly bring to the boil - stirring occasionally.  
• Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and remove from heat, leaving to cool for about 30 minutes.  
• After the 30 minutes add cherries to mix and stir. 
• Add egg to mix and stir in fast and well.  
• Add pre-sifted flour and bicarb and fold in carefully but fast.  
• Pour or spoon immediately into tin(s), sprinkle with demerara sugar and bake in the oven for the timings given above..