Not quite a traditional fruit cake but equally satisfying, this teatime treat has malt extract and apple juice to enrich its flavour, and it becomes moister if you can wait for a few days before cutting into it.
ingredients
makes 12 pieces
3/4 cup plain whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups unbleached All purpose flour
2 level teaspoons baking powder
2 level teaspoons ground mixed spice
2/3 cup stoned dates, chopped
3/4 cup Seedless white raisins
3/4 cup seedless raisins
3 oz malt extract
2 eggs, medium, lightly beaten
2 dessert apples, peeled, cored and grated
1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice
1/2 cup corn oil
1 oz blanched almonds, split into halves
method
OVEN: Preheat to 180°C (350°F)
1. Line a cake pan 8 inch in diameter with nonstick baking paper.
2. Sift the flours, baking powder and spice into a mixing bowl, and tip in the bran left in the sieve. Mix in the dates, Seedless white raisins and raisins. Make a well in the centre and put in the malt extract, eggs, apples, apple juice and oil. Mix until all the ingredients are combined.
3. Spoon the mixture into the cake pan, smooth the top and arrange the almonds on the top in concentric circles. Bake in the heated oven for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
4. Cool the cake in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn it onto a wire rack to cool completely before storing it in an airtight tin.
more information
You can chop the almonds and sprinkle them over the cake instead of arranging them in circles, for a quicker finish.
