It is a very easy fruit cake Merv's dear mum, an adventurous cook, found in an Australian Cook Book. Please note: Rather than the usual creaming of the butter and sugar method it calls for a slightly different but foolproof approach. The quality/moistness appears to be consistent every time we have made it and has been a hit with our community The recipe passed down at least 25 years ago in her handwriting is now dog-eared, stained, but treasured.

For two 8" x 4" loaf pans

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups chopped sultanas

1 1/2 cups chopped raisins

1 1/2 cups currants

1/2 cup chopped mixed peel

3/4 cup chopped dried cranberries

1/4 cup chopped dried apricots

1 cup (firmly packed) dark brown sugar

1/2 lb butter

1/2 cup spiced rum

1/2 cup water

5 eggs (at room temperature), lightly beaten

2 heaped teaspoons grated orange rind

1 heaped teaspoon grated lemon rind

3 tablespoons almond powder

1 3/4 cups all-purpose white flour

1/3 cup self-rising flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Grease and line two 4" x 8' loaf pans with wax/parchment paper.

Combine dried fruit, butter, brown sugar, rum and water in a large saucepan. Stir over medium heat to melt butter and dissolve sugar. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, cover pan and simmer for 10 min. Take off heat and cool to room temp.

Add slightly beaten eggs and lemon and orange rinds to cooled fruit mixture, stir until combined. Stir in sifted dry ingredients ( almond powder, all-purpose white flour, self-rising flour, baking soda).

Pour mixture into prepared loaf pans. Wrap the underside and sides of pans with brown paper and bake in preheated 300 deg. oven for 1 1/2 hours (1 hour 20 min works best for my oven).

Take out of the oven, cover pans with foil until completely cool. Remove cooled cakes from pans, prick the cakes with a skewer and sprinkle with more rum.

Wrap the cakes with wax paper and foil and store in airtight tin.

NOTE: Baking the cake in 2 loaf pans cuts down on the baking time and also is easier for slicing.