Everlasting Cake

Over the years I have accumulated several recipes for these fruit cakes, so-called in my husband's family because his mother made one every Friday. They are not as dense and rich as Christmas fruit cakes but are good and fruity.

Some are made from sultanas alone, others have chopped dried apricots added in, others use mixed dried fruit.

500g mixed dried fruit
230g butter
275g sugar
1 teaspoon each vanilla extract, almond essence and lemon essence
2 teaspoons mixed spices
3 eggs
300g flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Put the fruit in a large saucepan, cover with water and boil for five minutes. Drain and add the butter, sugar, spice and essences to the hot fruit. Stir well and cool.

Add the beaten eggs then the sifted flour and baking powder.

Pour into a greased, lined 23cm cake tin. Bake 1 3/4 hours at 160C. Test with a skewer before removing from the oven.