Molly Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

250 g stoned dates, roughly chopped
300 ml water
85 g plain flour
85 g whole wheat flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
500 g mixed dried fruit, chopped (figs, sultanas, apricots etc. chopped, I tend to use the three listed above with some red berries)
50 g ground almonds
80 ml orange juice

Preparation

Pre-heat oven to 170oC/Gas Mark 3 and line 2 loaf tins with baking parchment (this will make two flattish cakes, for a full-sized cake use just one tin).
Put the dates and water in a pan and bring to the boil. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
Sieve the plain flour, baking powder and mixed spice into a bowl. Add the wholemeal flour, mixed fruit and ground almonds. Stir to combine. Stir in the wet date mixture and the orange juice. Mix well.
Spoon into the tin(s). Bake for 50 minutes (170C / gas mark 3) or until a skewer comes out clean. Turn out onto a wire rack and cool.
Serve in slices with a nice cup of tea.