ms*robyn's Christmas fruitcake

1 1/2kg fruit ( I mix my own)
1/2 cup brandy, whisky or rum
1 green apple
1 tblsp. honey or golden syrup
1 cup brown sugar
250g butter
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup SR flour
1 tsp. mixed spice

Place chopped mixed fruit in large basin add sherry; cover and soak for a week, stirring each day.

first of all grease and line your tin(20cm square or 23cm round - both deep) - with 3 layers of greaseproof paper, greased between each layer; bringing the paper approx. 5cm above edge of tin. preheat oven to slow (140C) and melt the butter - cool

add peeled and coarsley grate apple, honey, sugar and eggs; mix well with wooden spoon to break any clumps of fruit. add the cooled melted butter, sifted flours and spice. Mix thoroughly.

place in cake tin, pushing cake mix well into corners with a spoon. Once the mix is all in the tin, I like to drop the tin gently to settle the mix into the tin, expelling air bubbles.

Fold 5 sheets of newspaper to fit an oven tray and place cake tin onto the tray and bake in a slow oven for approx. 3 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and brush evenly with about 2 tblsps. of brandy. cover tightly with aluminium and wrap the whole thing in a towel to cool overnight . remove from tin and wrap in 3 layers of plastic wrap.

I then like to wrap the cake in a vintage tea towel and tie with string before placing in the pantry to mature til Christmas time.

lumberjack cake

2 large granny smith apples; peeled & chopped finely
1 cup finely chopped seeded dates
1 tsp. bicarb soda
1 cup boiling water
125g butter
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup castor sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups plain flour

TOPPING
60 g butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to moderate. Grease 23cm square cake pan & line base with baking paper
Combine apple, dates, soda & water in a bowl; cover & stand for 10 mins
Beat butter, essence, sugar & egg in a small bowl with electric mixer til light and fluffy. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, stir in flour and apple mix. pour into prepared pan.
Bake in moderate oven 50mins; spread with topping, bake for further 20 mins. Stnad cake 5 mins; turn onto wire rack to cool.

TOPPING
combine ingredients in small saucepan, stir over low heat until butter is melted and ingredients combined.