Here’s a very old bush recipe you might like to try if you have some spare time over the holidays.

Camp Oven Christmas Cake

• 2 cups water                          

• 2 cups sugar

• 2 packets mixed fruit            

• 1 teasp. each spice, nutmeg

• 2 teasp. bicarb soda                 

• cinnamon, ginger

• 1/2lb. Butter                          

• 2 cups S.R. flour

• 2 cups plain flour                  

• pinch of salt

• 2 eggs                                     

• almonds and rum

Dig a hole a little bigger and deeper than your camp oven and get a good fire going for coals.  Or if you prefer to use heat beads these will take around 20 minutes to be ready.

Boil all ingredients except eggs and flour in a billy.  Let it cool for 15 minutes and add the beaten eggs and sifted flour

Add the chopped almonds and rum.  Scrape the mixture into a cake tin that has been well prepared. Place the cake into a warm camp oven (place a cake rack on the bottom to prevent the cake from burning) and put the lid on.

Put coals or heat beads in the bottom of the hole, place the camp oven in the hole and place more coals or heat beads around the camp oven to about half way above the mixture and a few on the lid.

The cake should cook for 1 to 11/2 hours. Check from to time to ensure it is not burning.

Merry Christmas and great cooking to you all