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A Joyous Noelle Clark

11/3/2014

10 Comments

 
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The fresh, spicy scent of a young she-oak filled our home for a week before Christmas Day arrived. It was a trigger, setting in motion a flurry of school holiday fun. We strung all the Christmas cards we received around the lounge room; made tree decorations from paper, glue, and glitter; and collected pine cones from the back yard which we painted and sprinkled glitter over.

Mum spent half a day making her famous boiled fruit cake. She sweated in the December heat, the oven of our old wood stove making the temperature climb to well over a hundred degrees. After the cake had baked for a couple of hours, Mum would let it cool on a rack, then pour extra rum over the top of it.

The aroma of the spices, fruit, butter, nuts, flour – and a dash of Bundaberg Rum – was enough for us all to ignore the heat and concentrate on decorating our tree and house for the big day.

Mum’s boiled fruit cake was the best ever.

We never had alcohol at Christmas dinner that I remember, except for a small bottle of brandy that my Great Aunt would produce from her handbag and share with Mum and Dad. But my tipple of choice these days is a chilled glass of champagne to celebrate the day.

Merry Christmas!


Recipe for Boiled Fruit Cake

1 cup water

620g (4 cups) mixed dried fruit

250g (1 cup) white sugar

190g butter

250g (2 cups) plain flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon mixed spice

2 eggs, beaten


Directions

  • Let the dried mixed fruit soak in some alcohol (rum, sherry, port etc) for an hour.

  • Preheat the oven to 150 C. Grease a square tin and line with baking paper or alfoil.

  • Combine the water, mixed fruit, sugar and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, then cook gently for about 10 minutes.

  • Sift the flour, baking soda and mixed spice into a large bowl. Pour in the boiled fruit mixture and stir until well blended.

  • Mix in the eggs. Pour into the greased loaf pan.

  • Bake in preheated oven for 90 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool cake in the pan for at least 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.


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Our FREE Christmas anthology: A SEASON TO REMEMBER is on its way to you - 28 November 2015 

Authors: 
Elizabeth Ellen Carter 
Noelle Clark 
Eva Scott 
Susanne Bellamy 

10 Comments
Noelle Clark link
11/3/2014 06:28:56 am

Susanne, thank you so much for inviting me over. Our anthology was a joy to create, and I sincerely hope will bring joy to all who read it.

Reply
Susanne
11/3/2014 07:17:12 am

The pleasure is mine to host you, Noelle. Thanks for sharing your Christmas memories. And the cake sounds divine!

Reply
Noelle link
11/3/2014 11:45:36 am

It's a lovely moist cake with a crispy crust. Keeps well too. Enjoy. :-)

Reply
Elizabeth Ellen Carter link
11/3/2014 07:52:38 am

What a lovely memory - and such a delicious recipe. I'm inspired to do some baking this year. :)

Reply
Noelle link
11/3/2014 11:46:54 am

I say I'll do baking every Christmas, but I never do as it's too damn hot! But last Christmas I made limoncello with lemons from my own tree. DELISH! I might do that again this year. :-)

Reply
Shehanne Moore
11/3/2014 08:05:15 am

Now Noelle....I cannot guarantee the results (Oh ok I can) BUT I am gonna make this cake.

Reply
Noelle link
11/3/2014 11:48:35 am

Excellent! You must tell me how it turns out. This will be my first Christmas without Mum so I might make one myself too. We'll see. Thanks for stopping by. x

Reply
Shehanne Moore
11/4/2014 06:52:31 pm

I wouldnae hold my breathe doll.... Thinking of you though. Hard to be without your mum x

Eva Scott
11/3/2014 10:28:55 am

Sounds delish! And simple to make. Might just give it a go.

Reply
Noelle link
11/3/2014 11:50:01 am

Great, Eva. Let me know how it turns out. Great to have in the cupboard when unexpected visitors turn up for Chrissy drinks. (The cake goes very well with sherry and port, by the way.) :-)

Reply



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    Story elements surround us every day, from new places to a favourite piece of music or an odd moment witnessed in passing that becomes a scene in our work. On this weekly post, fellow authors will share some of what inspires their stories and their lives. Sit back and make yourself comfortable with the drink of your choice as the curtain rises. 

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