Tropical Fruit Cake (V) from The Anti-Inflammatory Recipe Book

“Dried fruit is a good source of anaemic-protective iron and fibre for a healthy gut.” Angela Dowden, author of The Anti-Inflammatory Recipe Book

Serves 12

100 g (3½ oz) raisins

250 g (8 oz) mixed soft dried tropical fruit, such as pineapple, mango, papaya and apricots, cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1 teaspoon ground ginger

125 g (4 oz) unsalted butter, cubed

125 g (4 oz) soft light brown sugar

150 ml (¼ pint) cold water

225 g (7½ oz) self-raising flour

1 egg, lightly beaten

Grease and line the base of a 1 kg (2 lb) loaf tin with nonstick baking paper (or use a loaf tin liner).

Place the raisins, dried tropical fruit, mixed spice, ginger, butter, sugar and measured water in a saucepan. Warm over a low heat until the butter has melted, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, then bring to the boil.

Boil the fruit mixture for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and leave to cool in the pan.

Stir the flour and beaten egg into the cooled fruit mixture until well combined, then spoon into the prepared tin.

Bake in the centre of a preheated oven, 150ºC (300ºF), Gas Mark 2, for 50 minutes–1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Leave the cake to cool in the tin, then cut into slices to serve.

For traditional fruit cake: Follow the recipe above to make the cake mixture, using a mixture of currants, chopped soft dried pitted dates, sultanas and glacé cherries in place of the dried tropical fruit and omitting the ground ginger. Bake as above.