APRON AND PANS - FRUIT CAKE (NIGERIAN STYLE)

Ingredients
250 grams (about 2 cups) plain flour /all purpose flour
250 grams butter (at room temperature)
4 eggs 
170 grams sugar
1 1⁄4 tablespoonful baking powder
1 tablespoonful flavor (vanilla or butterscotch flavor)
½ cup brandy or rum
1⁄4 cup browning
1 handful mixed dry fruits (raisins,sultanas,currants,cherries) 
1 teaspoon citrus peels (orange, lemon or grapefruit peel)
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg & cinnamon (for extra flavor)

Preparation

Soak the fruits and citrus peels in the alcohol for up to 1 month or at least 3 days. If you are in a hurry to make the cake, you can boil it in a pot for 10mins with 2 tablespoonful of sugar and 

1⁄4 cup water; strain and place in a bowl, then add the alcohol and leave to cool at room temperature. Set aside.

Note: If you'll rather not use alcohol, simply use the boiled fruits after straining and at room temperature. 

Prepare the pan by lightly greasing the insides with butter and then dusting with flour. This will prevent the cake from sticking to the pan.

Preheat the oven for 15 minutes at 150ºC or the 300ºF mark.

In a wide bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together and set aside.

In a separate bowl or cake mixer, cream the butter until it is light and fluffy, then add the sugar and continue creaming until it goes from grainy to fluffy again.

Break the eggs into a bowl and gradually add it to the butter-sugar mix, as you continue to cream.

  

Add the browning, flavor and alcohol soaked fruits.

Gradually add the flour and baking powder mixture, one cup at a time and mix until well incorporated.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan (halfway) and smooth the top with a spatula.

  

Bake in the preheated oven (150ºC or 300ºF) for 1 hour or until the cake is springy to touch and has started to shrink out from the sides of the pans. 

Some oven bake faster, while others are a bit slow, so be sure to check your cake after 45 minutes of placing it in the oven, to know if it is ready or needs further baking. You can also check by sticking a skewer into the center of the cake; if it comes out clean, your cake is ready.

Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely. 

Pour chocolate ganache on it (see recipe below) 

Served with any drink of choice. 

Chocolate Ganache Recipe

Ingredients

200 grams chocolate (cut into tiny bits) or chocolate chips 

50 grams unsalted butter 

70 ml milk (If using powdered milk, mix 2 tablespoonful with 70 ml water.

Preparation

Place milk and butter into a small pot and set to boil.

Once the butter melts, put off the heat and pour in the chocolate bits.

Leave the mixture for about 4 minutes, to soften the chocolate.

Using a whisk, mix gently till all the chocolate is melted and well incorporated.

Leave to cool to room temperature and set aside to use on the cake.

Note: The ganache will thicken as it cools.