A LITTLE SOMETHING TO HAVE WITH A CUPPA...

I sometimes just want a little something with my coffee in the afternoon or anytime for that matter.  I particularly like a fruit loaf, it may have a little to do with the lavish amounts of butter i spread on each slice or it might just simply be the sweetness from the fruit and the satisfaction from the cakey side to it. I haven't yet figured that one out. 

This recipe is a quick one bowl mixture, which never seems to fail.  It is a great recipe to get you confidant if you haven't yet ventured out into this style of bakery. I think it maybe handed down from my mother, so its gotta be good!

FRUIT LOAF

3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp butter
250g sultanas, dates or raisins
1 cup water

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Method

preheat oven 180`C.  Grease a 22 cm loaf tin lightly with butter, and sprinkle with flour, tap out excess.  I always line the base of the tin with a little greaseproof paper, which i cut to measure.

Simmer the first lot of ingredients (butter, fruit etc) together in a pot for about 5 minutes.  Leave to cool.

Mix the remaining dry ingredients together with the fruit.  Be careful not to over mix.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the lower half of the oven for about 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean when pierced into the centre of the loaf.  Remove from the oven and leave  to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

Slice into desired thickness, and a little or as much pure butter as desired!