Boiled Pineapple Fruit Cake

Not many of you may know this quirky fact about me, in fact there are many things I have not disclosed LOL!!! This fact however was very pivotal my teenage years. I grew up living on a golf course... yep a golf course. My parents were the "Caretakers By Night", which meant we lived on the golf course and looked after the property outside of business hours. It was definitely an interesting set up with your house being surrounded by the public during the day but once the gate was locked this great big property was our tranquil domain - unless of course there was a party or a get together happening (wink wink if you know what I mean?)

We moved to the golf course when I was 14 years old. It was a beautiful old house, you know with fire places in each room, the extra high ornate ceilings and a verandah that stretched around the house. The golf course itself was an 18 hole public golf course complete with a historic homestead, our house, a golf shop and a cafe. When we moved in my mam started working in the cafe which was perfect as she walked out the back gate and into her workplace.

One of the cakes that was baked at Sandringham Golf Course's cafe was a Pineapple Boiled Fruit Cake and it was always a star in the cake cabinet. No fancy icing or decorations just fruit cake, moist, sweet and delicious and well enjoyed by many a golfer. The original recipe itself was the cafe owner, Margaret's mother's recipe. A moist, not too heavy or dense, fruit cake laced with crushed pineapple and the hint of spice.

I did actually have the original recipe once but it has been misplaced somewhere over the years in my travels. I should remember to ask my mam if she still has a copy of the recipe. so here is my take on what I can remember. Saying this, every time this has been cooked it has also been enjoyed.

Boiled Pineapple Fruit Cake

Serves: 12 - 16

150 grams butter, coarsely cubed

1 cup brown sugar

440 grams can crushed pineapple

500 grams mixed dried fruit

100 grams candied cherries, chopped

2 tablespoons brandy

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup flour

1 cup self-raising flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius or 150 degrees Celsius fan forced.

Grease a 20 cm round cake tin and line the base with nonstick baking paper.

Place butter, sugar, pineapple and juice in a saucepan, then stir until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Stir in dried fruit and brandy and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Remove to a bowl to completely cool.

Stir in the eggs.

Then stir in the flours, baking soda and spices, sifted together.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface.

Bake for 1½ hours or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool cake in the tin before turning out.

Enjoy!