A mincemeat cake.

A Sunday afternoon cake.

This is a little Christmassey -- but nice any time of year. It's a family recipe, sent from one sister to another. I shall make this on Sunday. It's just a little spicy -- and very comforting.


90g unsalted butter
30g vegetable shortening or, in the case of my mother, some lard!
2 large free range eggs
210g self raising flour
120g soft brown sugar
360g good quality mincemeat. You could make your own, but, well, I don't
A little milk -- just in case you need it.
I also like to add a fat pinch of cinnamon and one of nutmeg.

You need a 7 inch round cake tin; grease it and then line it. Cream the butter and the sugar and beat in the eggs. Stir in the mincemeat, add your fat pinches of spice and fold in the flour. Now, the mixture should be moist but if you think not, add a little milk -- say a tablespoon?

Bake in a warm oven (by which I mean 160/gas mark 3)for about twenty minutes and then turn the oven down to gas mark 2 (150) and cook for about one and a quarter hours. The top should be firm and you should see that your cake is shrinking slightly from the sides of the tin. I'm sure you know all about skewers going in and coming out clean when the cake is done, though. Turn out. Looks fetching when dusted with a little icing sugar. Also, I'm not convinced about the turning down of the oven - but the cake works as is!