Currant Cake Recipe

225 g/8 oz/1 cup butter or margarine

300g/11 oz caster (superfine) sugar
A pinch of salt
100 ml/3.5 fl oz boiling water

3 eggs
400g/14 oz plain (all-purpose) flour
175 g/6 oz currants
50g/2 oz chopped mixed (candied) peel
100 ml/3.5 fl oz cold water

15 ml/1 tbsp baking powder

Method:

Place the butter or margarine, sugar and salt in a bowl, pour over the boiling water and allow to stand until softened. Beat rapidly until light and creamy. Gradually add the eggs, then mix in the flour, currants and mixed peel alternately with the cold water. Stir in the baking powder. Spoon the batter into a greased 23 cm/9 in cake tin (pan) and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/ gas mark 4 for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2 and bake for a further 40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out to finish cooling on a wire rack.