Churchill's Fruit Cake

Fruit cake was one of Winston Churchill's favourites cakes. The National Trust have recreated a version inspired by Winston's long-standing cook Georgina Landemare. Why not try this one for VE Day.
 
Ingredients
225g butter
170g dark brown sugar
285g self-raising flour
280g dried mixed fruit
2 cups strong black tea
5 eggs
110g halved glacé cherries (or can use dried apricots of mixed nuts instead)
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 tablespoon black treacle (optional)

Method
1 Soak dried fruit in tea - preferably overnight
2 Cream together butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until almost white
3 Gradually beat in the eggs - remember to add a little flour to prevent the mixture from splitting or curdling
4 Add the mixed fruit and glacé cherries and continue to fold together
5 Add the treacle if using whilst continuing to fold together
6 Preheat oven to 150 degree C/ 300 degree F/ Gas 2 and line and grease a cake tin
7 Bake for 2 hours or until cake is cooked through. Cool on a wire rack
8 When cool lightly dust with caster sugar

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