Servings:

4-6

Level of difficulty:

Easy

Ingredients

225g sultanas
100g butter or margerine
150g sugar
2 eggs, beaten
150g self-raising flour
1/2 teasp salt
1/2 teasp almond essence
15g ground almond or plain flour

Method

The night before:
Soak 225g sultanas in a large pan of water,overnight. This process plumps up the fruit beautifully, and no further liquid is required.
Grease or line a 1lb loaf tin.
Next day:
Pre-heat the oven to 150 C
Put the pan on the hob and bring the sultanas to the boil and then strain through a large seive. Return the friut to the empty, warm pan.
Add 100g butter or margerine and mix into the sultanas
Add 150g sugar and mix into the sultanas
Add 2 eggs (beaten) and mix into the sultanas
Add 150g self-raising flour and mix into the sultanas.
Add1/2 teasp salt and mix into the sultanas.
Add 1/2 teasp almond essence and mix into the sultanas.
Add15g ground almonds or plain flour and mix into the sultanas
Give a final stir to mix all ingredients together.
Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake at 150 C for at least 30minutes, or until firm to the touch.

This loaf will keep for about 3 days in an airtight tin - if it lasts that long!

The cake can be served freshly sliced whilst still warm and moist, or as a pudding with cream or custard.
Served cold it can be sliced and buttered (serve with a knob of clotted cream-delicious.)