My MUM's Steamed Fruits Cake

fruit cake is very common when celebrating Christmas, but it is not Christmas yet and i do not celebrate it. and usually you may find some Fruits Cake recipes where they pour some BRANDY or just be careful if you buy Fruit Cake at cake shop because maybe they use non halal ingredients. who knows right? so it is non halal and prohibited for Muslim.

so, i just want to share a very simple recipe yet it is the most delicious Fruits Cake i ever ate. this recipe was taken from my mum and i am not so sure where was the recipe came from.

so here we go..


INGREDIENTS A
10 lb butter
2 cups castor sugar
5 no eggs
600 g flour
2 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 small box of mixed fruits (i don't really like it, so i just put some. its up to you how much you want to put)

INGREDIENT B
1 cup sugar


METHODS
- mix butter and sugar until fluffy.
- pour eggs and vanilla essence. mix well.
- sift all flours and mix with mixed fruits before add into the mixture.
- caramelized the sugar and carefully pour into the batter. at this time, you should mix them quickly before the caramelized sugar set.
- pour the batter into a light greased mould and steam it for 4 hours.
-when the cake is done, take it away from the stove and let it cold.


MY MUM'S TIPS
# flours must mixed with mixed fruits first before add into the mixture because if you just add them separately, the mixed fruits will sink at the bottom of the cake.
# 4 hours steaming the cake is very long time. so the water in the steamer will reduce, when you want to add more water, make sure you add HOT WATER so the temperature will not drop, hence your cake will 'drop' as well.


so......

i guess this recipe is very unique. no wonder my father really love it. even it takes quite long time to cook, but it is worth it! and for your information, the shelf life of this Fruits Cake is up to 1 month in dry storing.