Allotments 4 All

We went to Compton Acres Gardens on Friday and popped into the cafeteria for coffee and cake.  We bought some walnut gateau and fruit bread to share between us.  The gateau was all right but the fruit loaf was out of this world.  I asked where it was made and was told by the lady in the cafeteria that it was made by her grandmother.  I asked for the recipe but was told it was a secret that her grandmother keeps to herself.  The loaf was very dark brown in colour and very moist.  I couldn't really tell what it had in it but it was delicious. Perhaps it had prunes that could have contributed to the colour?  I was told the loaf was baked in a bread tin but I would have described it as more of a cake by its taste.

Does anyone have a recipe that I could try please? 

Try this tea loaf, always get good results and lots of happy faces :)

1x250ml cup of tea
375g dried mixed fruit
125g dark brown sugar
250g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
pinch of cloves
1 egg

make the cup of black tea and pour it into a bowl with the dried fruit and sugar [i sometimes add a nip of something medicinal!], stir well and leave to macerate overnight.
beat the flour, baking powder, bicarb and cloves into the soaked fruit and then beat in the egg.
spoon into a lined loaf tin and bake for 1 hour [or until cooked] in a preheated oven, gas mark 3/170C.
cool completely in the tin and enjoy.

Thanks HappyCatz, I will try this one out at the weekend.   ;D

Bara brith
    12oz mixed fruit
     1 egg
    10oz s.r. flour
     8oz soft brown sugar
     half-pot hot strong tea (3 bags)
     put mixed fruit and sugar in a bowl, pour over hot tea
and stir to dissolve sugar.
    cover and leave 8hr or over night
    stir and add sieved flower and egg
     pour into a greased and lined loaf tin
     cook at 150 for 75min to 90min
     I bake two at the same time they are very Moorish

I have a similar recipe to  Springs and HappyCatz, but with the addition of a tablespoon of marmalade.

The Barra Brith looks good too.  I have added some of the ingredients to my Tesco delivery.

Thanks everyone for your help.

This recipe is just crying out to be made.....will check store cupboard for ingredients.  I had a recipe ages ago for a "boiled" fruit cake.....that too was absolutely delish.   Anyone got any ideas?
twinkletoes

Twinkletoes I have a recipe somewhere for a boiled fruit cake........just have to remember which one and I will post it for you!

Thanks DP - looking forward to it.
twinkletoes

Arrrrrgh twinkletoes, I can't find it, know I have it in one of my hundreds of recipe books somewhere.
If I find it will post it for you!

Thanks DP.  Don't worry too much about it.  It'll suddenly come to you in a flash of light one day when you least expect it as to where the recipe is. Thanks for looking.
twinkletoes

Rich Boiled Fruit Cake Recipe:

8oz Flour
6oz Margerine/butter
6oz sugar (white, not brown)
4oz currants
4oz raisins
4oz sultanas
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp baking soda
half tsp ground ginger
half pint water
2 large eggs

Place margerine, sugar, fruit and water in saucepan.  Bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 mins.  Leave to cool.  Sieve flour, spices and baking soda and add to saucepan contents,  Beat eggs int mixture and pour into a greased, lined 7" square baking pan (or a 2lb loaf tin works for me).  Bake at 160C (320F gas 3) for 75 minutes.

This is the only fruit cake I make now as we all love it.  OH demands it instead of birthday cake - poor deprived soul as I only make it about twice a year due to diets etc!!

Enjoy it Twinkletoes!!

Thanks Pippy.  Think I'll be busy at the weekend now........ 
twinkletoes

1 cup all bran
1 cup dried fruit
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk

leave to soak over night add

1 cup of SR flour

bake for one hour on reg 5. 375f

goes gooey and improves with keeping a day or so

I was going to use the tea loaf recipe by Happy Catz but realised that I didn't have any baking powder.  However the bara brith recipe from Springs looked very similar and used SR flour instead so didn't require the baking powder. 

I added some Campari, cocktail cherries and marmalade and the resulting product was delicious.  One of the things I liked about it was that it didn't have any fat in the recipe so maybe not so many calories?

I will be soaking some more dried fruit tonight in preparation for baking another one tomorrow.   ;D ;D

Hey Pippy - just realised I never got back on this one.  Made the cake and it didn't last long - thanks a million.
twinkletoes