Quick and Easy Fruitcake

This recipe comes from Olive Fairbrother, loving mother and nanna to the Fairbrother family, as well as a cooking extraordinaire. Unfortunately Olive passed away in 2004, but in addition to the many wonderful memories she has left us with, she has also left us this terrific fruit cake recipe which has no added butter or sugar.

Ingredients:
1 kg dried mixed fruit
100 g slivered almonds
2 cups water
1 egg
2 cups self-raising flour
1 400 g tin condensed milk (I used a 99% fat free skim variety)

Line a large cake tin with baking paper (eg a square 22 cm x 22 cm tin). Place the mixed fruit and water together in a large saucepan, bring to the boil and boil for one minute. Transfer the mixture into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool. When cold, add the almonds, egg, sifted flour and condensed milk. Mix well and pour into prepared pan. Cook in a moderately slow oven for approximately 1.5 hours. Cool in tin.

Then enjoy year round – this one’s so easy to make there’s no need to save it for Christmas!