Halifax Building Society Fruit Cake

I'm now the proud possessor of my mother-in-law's (MIL) cookery book. It wasn't until I opened it that I realised it contains recipes from three generations of NAH's family. Open it and the smell instantly transports me back to the house in Darlington that I've known for 25 years. Sadly we won't be able to go there much longer; NAH is in the process of selling the house as my MIL is now in a care home. However, this recipe takes me back to much happier times and is a family institution. It was taken from the Halifax Building Society Homeowner magazine number 160, Autumn 1982.

Ingredients:

• 100 grammes (4 ounces) margarine
• 1 cup sugar (4 ounces)
• 2 cups mixed dried fruit (8 ounces)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 heaped teaspoon black treacle
• 225 grammes (8 ounces) plain flour
• 1 level teaspoon mixed spice
• 0.5 level teaspoon baking powder
• 0.5 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 egg, beaten

MIL's notes also has salt (a pinch if wanted) and additional ginger - I suggest 1 level teaspoon for starters, more if you like your cake a bit spicier.

Method:

1. Melt the margarine, sugar and treacle in the milk in a large pan
2. Add the dried fruit and bring the mixture to the boil
3. Simmer for 2-3 minutes and remove from the heat and allow to go almost cold
4. Turn into a greased and lined oblong 2lb cake tin
5. Bake at 325 fahrenheit for three quarters of an hour
6. Cool, turn the cake out of the tin and serve sliced

Unbelievably NAH found one of these in the freezer in Darlington a few weeks ago dated 2001 - we've just enjoyed it immensely. It was probably one of the last cakes my MIL made.

Measure converter - for ounces, cups, grammes etc.