Fruit and Nut Loaf Cake

Ingredients

• 0.66 cup Raisins (Seeded and cut into pieces)
• 8 whole Dried Figs (Finely chopped)
• 1.25 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 0.5 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 0.25 teaspoon Ground Clove
• 0.25 teaspoon Ground Mace
• 0.25 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 0.25 cup Unsalted Butter (Softened)
• 1 large Egg (Well beaten)
• 0.5 cup Granulated Sugar
• 0.5 cup Milk
• 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour (For dredging fruit)
• 0.25 cup Milk (For frosting)
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar (For frosting)
• 1 tablespoon Butter (For frosting)
• 2.5 teaspoons Baking Powder

Instructions

1. 1If using, seed the raisins and cut them into smaller pieces. Finely chop the dried figs.
2. 2In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour (1 1/4 cups), baking soda, cinnamon, clove, mace, nutmeg, and salt.
3. 3In a separate bowl, cream together the softened butter (1/4 cup) and sugar (1/2 cup) until light and fluffy.
4. 4Beat in the egg until well combined. Gradually add the milk, mixing until smooth.
5. 5Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
6. 6Dredge the prepared fruit with the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour. Gently fold the floured fruit into the batter.
7. 7Pour the batter into a well-buttered 9x5 inch loaf pan. Cover the pan and let the batter rise for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Bake in a slow oven (325°F/160°C) for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. 8Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. While the cake cools, prepare the Boiled Milk Frosting: In a small saucepan, combine milk (1/4 cup), powdered sugar (1 cup), and butter (1 tablespoon). Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the frosting is smooth and glossy. Pour the frosting over the cooled cake.
9. 9For a quicker cake, you can make a 'One Egg Cake': Cream the butter (1/4 cup), add sugar (1/2 cup) gradually, and egg well beaten. Mix and sift flour (1 1/2 cups) and baking powder (2 1/2 teaspoons), add alternately with milk (1/2 cup) to first mixture. Bake thirty minutes in a shallow pan. Spread with Chocolate Frosting (not detailed here).