Somerset Cider Cake

Ingredients

• 12oz mixed dried fruit
• 1/2pint (sweet) cider
• 10oz S.R. flour
• 2oz walnuts (chopped)
• 6oz soft brown sugar
• 2 eggs (beaten)

Method

1. Soak fruit in cider overnight.
2. Put fruit and cider in a pan and bring to the boil – then cool.
3. Mix flour, sugar and walnuts.
4. Add the eggs and the fruit mixture. Mix well.
5. Turn into a greased and lined 2lb loaf tin. Bake at 180°C, gas mark 4 for 30 minutes. (This could be cooked in two 1lb tins but watch the temperature).
6. Reduce heat to 170°C, gas mark 3 for a further 30 – 45 minutes, until loaf is golden brown and firm.
7. Cool in tin.

This is Miss Blackmore’s recipe, a retired headteacher of Bradford–on–Tone primary school in Somerset, whose family have lived in Blackdown Hills for many centuries.