Prep 10min (+soaking and cooling time)Bake 1hrMakes 8 serves

I found this in my late grandmother Helen’s recipe box, written out in her beautiful cursive. And with that heading, of course I had to try it. She was right. It is easy – almost entirely made in one saucepan, with just one wooden spoon. But it’s also wonderfully delicious, lasts for ages and, thanks to the soaked fruit and spices, could also pass as a Christmas cake.

I’ve made a few adjustments over the years, adding the nuts and soaking the fruit in brandy, which makes it feel a bit more special, but you could leave both those steps out, and it will still be great. 

Ingredients

½ cup (125ml) brandy
2 cups (370g) mixed dried fruit (see Baker's Tip) 
½ cup (125g) butter, cubed
¾ cup (165g) brown sugar
2 tablespoons treacle, or honey 
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup (70g) walnuts (ideally dry-toasted in the oven and roughly chopped)
1 cup (150g) plain flour
1 cup (150g) self-raising flour

Method

1. Heat the brandy in a saucepan until just simmering. Remove from the heat and add the dried fruit. Leave to plump up for at least 30 minutes.
2. To your soaked dried fruit, add the butter, sugar, treacle, spices, bicarbonate of soda and 1/2 cup (125 ml) water. Place over medium–high heat and bring to the boil, stirring as you go. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
3. Grease and line a 22–24 cm cake tin with paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
4. Add the eggs and mix to combine. Fold in the flours and a pinch of salt. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
5. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before gently removing from the tin.

This recipe is from What Can I Bring by Sophie Hansen (Murdoch Books, RRP $49.99). 

You can read more about what Sophie is baking this winter here.