Ingredients
- 150 g prunes, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup boiling water
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 125 g butter
- ½ cup caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon black treacle
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- ¾ cup currants
- ⅔ cup sultanas
- 1½ cups self-raising flour
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon mixed spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- icing sugar, for dusting
Method
1. Preheat oven to slow 150°C. Brush a 21 × 14 × 7 cm loaf tin with melted butter or oil; line base with baking paper. Place prunes in a small bowl and cover with water and brandy. Set aside to soak for 10 minutes.
2. Using electric beaters, beat butter and sugar in a small mixing bowl until light and creamy. Add treacle; mix well. Add eggs gradually, beating well after each addition. The mixture will appear slightly curdled at this stage, but this is to be expected.
3. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add fruit, including liquid from soaking prunes.
4. Using a metal spoon, fold in sifted flour, spices and salt. Spoon into prepared tin, smooth surface with a flat-bladed knife. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until skewer comes out clean when inserted into centre of the bread. Leave to stand in tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire rack to cool. Dust the loaf with sifted icing sugar before serving.
