INGREDIENTS:

In advance:

• 1 cup dates, each date cut across into 3
• 1 cup prunes, each prune cut into quarters
• ½ cup golden raisins
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup boiling water

• 4 ounces butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 extra large egg
• 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour, sifted
• 1 cup whole walnuts

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put the dates, prunes, raisins, baking soda, and boiling water in a small bowl then stir together and set aside for no less than one hour, and up to 2 hours.

2. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

3. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line base with buttered wax paper.

4. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, cream the butter, add the sugar, and beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for 2 more minutes. Add the flour and slowly beat in.

5. Remove the bowl from the mixer and tip in the fruit. Stir to combine well then fold in the walnuts.

6. Pour into pan and bake for total of 50 minutes. If cake gets very dark, without removing pan from oven lay piece of foil over whole pan for final 20 minutes.

7. Cut around the vertical sides of the pan when it comes out of the oven in case any of the fruit has stuck to the metal then leave to cool for 10 minutes. Turn the loaf out and reverse onto a rack to cool.

MAKES 1 LOAF