fruit cake

so I'm probably a bit late with the Christmas baking but today after a quick trip to the shops to pick up some supplies I set to making a fruit cake. I based my recipe on a CWA recipe (always a winner in my book) for Glad Shute's Christmas Fruit Cake. I left out the alcohol as I didn't have any on hand.

1.375kg mixed fruit. I decided to make up my own combination rather than use the pre-mixed variety. (250g pitted prunes, 375g dried figs, 200g dried apricots, 550g sultanas)
250g butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup or molasses
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves

Combine all these ingredients in a large pot and place over medium heat on the stove top. Bring to the boil and boil for 3 minutes.
Leave to cool.

4 eggs
1/2 cup hot water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon bi-carb soda
2 cups plain flour (I used spelt flour)
1 1/2 cups SR flour
1 cup chopped nuts (I used half almonds and half macadamias

Beat eggs in a small bowl along with vanilla. Add to cooled fruit mixture.
Dissolve the bi-carb in the hot water and stir into the fruit mixture.
Fold in the flour and chopped nuts.

Bake for 3 hours at 160 degrees Celsius in lined cake tin/s .
Will make one large round cake or two smaller ones.
Cut a round of brown paper to place over the top of the cake while cooking to avoid a burnt top.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slowly, with the tin wrapped in a towel.

Store by wrapping in foil and placing in a cake tin. enjoy.

 

wishing you a lovely Christmas. x

new house.

after a stressful few weeks and a long drive we are settling in well to our new house in the central west of NSW.
all the 'necessity' boxes have been unpacked. over a dozen boxes filled with crockery and kitchen ware remain taped up. I'm not sure when i'll unpack them yet.
my love has started his new job. a new career that has been a goal for many years.
I've visited some of the op-shops already and they are a treasure trove of vintage goodies... Ladybird books, floral sheets, glass Christmas baubles and retro dresses all came home with me.
I've tested out the new kitchen with a batch of cocoa nib cookies, carrot cake, roast and baked spuds.
the sewing machine is set up and I've attended to a few jobs... two sets of curtains and a fitted sheet from vintage florals. the thing with vintage linens is fitted sheets are a rare thing. I hope to make a few dresses in the coming weeks. the stinking hot days call for lose-fitting smock dresses.
we are missing our chooks. we gave them to a new home before we left. the long drive and the huge change of climate would have been too much for them to cope with.
Mitten is settling in well. sadly we farewelled our black and white cat Tillie before we moved.

after a forced internet break i'm looking forward to catching up with all your happenings. I've also joined instagram, you can find me at zarannehandmade

hope you're having a lovely weekend. x

a big move

 

our home is currently packed up in boxes, so many boxes.
in the next couple of weeks my love and I will be moving. to a new house. in a new town. a town which takes 12 hours of driving to reach.
we're both excited and a bit anxious.
this will be our biggest move yet.
I'm looking forward to unpacking those boxes and decorating our new home. to settling in to a new community. to lots of new photos and the chance to share them with you.

 

and so the adventure begins...