This homey cake recipe really takes you back to special occasions, birthdays, visiting relatives houses and all round friendliness. We baked it once when moving in to say hello to our neighbours, because this recipe is so safe – practically everyone will like it! The flavour comes from the Mixed Spice Seasoning powder within, a traditional british spice blend comprising of allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander seed and a few other spices. You’ll get mouthwatering sweet and christmas-y aromas in your kitchen when cooking, so beware! It will attract everyone’s attention. The fruits are our own addition, but you can add whatever other fillings you like. Nuts, chocolate and jams all taste good.
Recipe: Granny’s Cake
Servings: 6-10
Ingredients
450g self raising flour
125g caster sugar
1tsp baking powder
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
5g mixed spice (you can add a little more if you really want to smell the place up)
small pinch of pink himalayan salt (for a little extra sweet and sour flavour)
125g butter
200g mixed dry fruits, raisins, or nuts
250ml milk
Little bit of oil for greasing the cake tin
Cooking method:
1. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F. Grease and line your cake tin with baking paper.
2. In a bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, mixed spice and salt. Mix until it looks uniform.
3. Mix in the butter, you may need to warm it a little bit
4. Mix in the dry fruits / raisins / nuts now.
5. Separately, mix in the bicarbonate of soda into the milk.
6. Add the milk-soda to the dry powders, and stir well.
7. Scoop the dough mixture into your cake tin, then place into the oven for 90-100 minutes. Keep checking to make sure it is cooking evenly, and rotate the tin if necessary.
8. Prick with a fork to make sure the cake is fully cooked (if no dough is stuck to your fork, it is cooked).
9. Remove from the oven and let it rest until cooled. Serve!