When we visit our good friends Linda and Neil MacSween for a brew and a natter, Linda often treats us to what I would say is one of the best fruit cakes I have ever tasted! Linda's family is from the North East, South Shields to be exact, I think both her parents were born and raised up at Shields and the family came down to Barlick with her dad getting a job at Rolls like lots of other folk that migrated to the town in the 50's and early 60's. I think the fruit cake recipe came from one of her grandparents.
It starts with fruit, lot's of it! Sultanas, Raisins, Currants and Cherries. All in a pan along with Demerara sugar, butter and a half pint of water. Bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes. Take off the hob and allow to cool.
The only other ingredients are a beaten egg and self raising flour, mixed in when the mixture has cooled.
The resultant cake mix fills a 2lb tin.
It goes in the oven on a low temp, gas mark 2 for 1 - 1.25 hours. Linda says an hour is normally enough. It wasn't done at an hour so I moved it up one shelf and gave it another 20 minutes.
Left to cool for a couple of hours then turned out of the tin.
The cake can be eaten as is or eaten as a nice thick slice buttered.
