Easy weekend baking: Rock Cakes

Ages ago, I bought myself a Kenwood mixer, promising myself I would use it. To this day, it's been used a grand total of four times. This shocking behaviour will change as I have now made it my mission to bake every weekend, realising that it doesn't have to be complicated and fussy with me standing over the oven all day, but rather quick easy and with scrumptious results. By the end of the year, I'm hoping my mixer will be begging for mercy.

Nothing is easier than rock cakes. These little beauties take no time at all, fill the kitchen with wondrous smells and may even get your kids to eat fruit.

Ingredients                      Makes 12. Time taken: 30 minutes


225g self raising flour
75g caster sugar
100g butter-cold and cubed
125g mixed fruit
50g glacé cherries
1 med egg
2 tbs milk
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Method


Heat oven to 180° and line baking tray with parchment paper

Mix the butter and flour together till they resemble a fine breadcrumb mix. Add the sugar, then quarter the cherries and add them along with the mixed fruit stirring well to integrate them.
Beat the egg and milk together and add to the mix. Add essence and spice and stir well until mixture gets 'gloopy'. It should be at a state where if you hold a spoonful upside down it doesn't drop.

Take a large heaped tablespoon full of mixture and drop it onto the baking tray. Make sure you leave enough room for the mix to spread while baking.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until browning nicely. Remove and sprinkle with demerara sugar while warm.

Make large cup of tea, sit and enjoy.

K x