Dad's Fruitcake

My mum would make one of these cakes every week so my dad could take a piece to work with him every day. In common with all fruitcakes, it tastes far better a week after making as it tends to be very dry for the first couple of days. The loaf tin is about 8x4 inches and about 2 inches deep. The amount of milk can be adjusted if the mixture seems a bit dry. Hmmm, my scribbled copy of the recipe calls for "enough fruit". This makes perfect sense to me, knowing how big a well the food mixer leaves in the centre of the dough but I'd be inclined to translate this as about 2 cups worth. I think that, once it's all mixed in, the mixture tends to look as though its about 60%dough and 40% fruit - but feel free to change this to your own taste.

• Ready In: 1 hr 35 mins
• Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 8  ounces flour
• 4  ounces margarine or 4  ounces shortening or 4  ounces butter
• 4  ounces soft brown sugar
• 2  eggs
• 2  tablespoons milk
• 1⁄2 teaspoon mixed spice
• 2  cups  dried fruit (sultanas, raisins, currants, candied dried peel,......)

Directions

1. Put everything*except* the milk and the fruit in a food mixer and mix well for about 5 minutes- the mixture will be quite stiff.
2. Add milk and mix well.
3. Mix in fruit by hand.
4. It's normally easier to add the fruit a little bit at a time.
5. Bake in the top of a preheated oven at gas mark 4, 180 degC, 350 degF for about 1 1/4 hours.
6. Check after 1 hour- if a knife poked into the cake comes out clean, the cake is fully cooked.