Instructions for cooking much quicker boiled fruit cake given below also. Mum used to make a boiled fruit cake often, sometimes with drained crushed pineapple in the mixture.
Beat sugar & butter very well; mix in all fruit (soaked in rum overnight), carb soda and spice.
Add eggs and then fold in flour, then add water.
Spoon mixture cake tin lined with 2 thicknesses each of brown and greased greaseproof paper; arrange extra almonds around top - brown paper on top of cake while it is cooking will stop it scorching.
Cook 3 hrs 150degC (300degF), lower for fan forced - check cake with skewer or knife if it comes out clean it is cooked.
BOILED FRUIT CAKE:
Soak fruit with rum overnight.
Then boil everything together, other than eggs and flour; now add eggs and fold in flour.