For those who like cake

A few months ago we inherited an electric table top oven from another volunteer. Real luxury as we all usually cook on 2 burners. But I’ve been a bit cautious – not wanting to make it any hotter than already in the kitchen, price of electricity and the possibility of load shedding half way through cooking – and so we have used it very little although expect to more in winter.


But when we returned from our UK visit I decided to experiment…

This was a successful recipe – and especially for my dad, Harold, and all those who also have a sweet tooth and may wish to try it!

Obviously changing or limiting the possibly excessive quantity of fruit would be fine, especially if proper sultanas are available. Alternative alcohol would also work or could be changed for smaller quantity of orange /lemon juice.

Recipe for Sheila style Sweet Kathmandu Fruitcake:

Place 2/3 spoons of rather dry local raisons (???) in bowl and cover with a couple of spoonfuls, or more, of local (very cheap) rum.

Add 1 spoonful of dried cranberries and pretend they are cherries. Also add 2/3 dried apricots, (yes, Roshan good for you as high iron content), but remember to chop very small as can then if needed pretend they are sultanas

Add about a heaped table spoon of finely grated carrot and 5/6 small bits (about size of small grapes) of peeled apple if available.

Eat rest of apple and or carrot. This is particularly good for those who would otherwise pick at the mixture as if too much mixture is eaten at this stage there may not be enough for finished cake.

Leave to soak for 20 mins or more but remember to cover very tightly as will attract ants and this cake should be suitable for vegetarians.

Place 3 approx 1 inch cubes of soft butter in bowl and add 3 dessert spoonfuls of local crunchy white sugar (hoping that any black bits in it are meant to be there and are not weevils or cake will be not suitable for veggies)

Add 1 spoonful of good soft expensive imported brown sugar (if available).

Add small spoonful of marmalade if in Kathmandu and such luxuries are available and mix to a creamy consistency. If the butter has not been taken from fridge in time, this mixture will tend to be lumpy rather than creamy but do not worry.

Whilst fruit is soaking whisk one egg with fork in a small bowl.

Prepare 5 or 6 inch cake tin with foil carefully saved from local take away "vegetable wraps". This foil conveniently is the perfect size to protect cake and cake tin and saves washing up. Alternatively new foil can be taken from the roll as this is available in Kathmandu.

Turn on oven if power supply is available. If not do not be concerned, combined mixture can be left and rest of recipe followed when power returns.

Combine mixtures by firstly adding fruit, rum etc and if any real cherries such as those imported into Kathmandu by previous guests, they can be added at this stage. Then slowly add whisked up egg.

Remember if keen to check the taste of the mixture by taking a fingerful it is probably not a good idea after adding raw egg. Add a small teaspoon of cooking oil, sunflower is ideal if available but others if not strong should do. This discourages the cook from picking at the mixture and probably helps to give good consistency to the finished cake.

Then slowly fold in approx 5-6 spoonfuls of flour after checking that it is in date and has no foreign bodies. The mixture should be a little more than dropping consistency but not nearly as solid as raw pastry. Better to have too little rather than too much flour.

The mixture should not come up to the top of the tin and foil should be at least an inch higher than the tin. This should protect the mixture when cooking, when the oven door is ill fitting or has to be opened.

Place in previously turned on oven and hope and pray that the power supply is not terminated in the next half hour. The temperature of the oven is difficult to judge if one is unable to read the dial, so cake cooking times may vary.

When cake smells waft from oven, any thing from 20-40 mins depending on temperature, stab at centre of cake with clean dry knife. If knife comes out clean then cake is done, or overdone. If knife is still messy from mixture, the cake needs a little more cooking, or the cook was over generous with the rum...

Remove from oven and leave to cool in tin foil or as long as one can leave before tasting/eating. Any cake left overnight needs wrapping carefully and storing in ant free zone.

And enjoy - I recommend the taste and as a good, nutritious way to spend a cold, uneventful afternoon!

Bon appetite, Sheila