Leanne Benjamin on leaving the Royal Ballet after 20 years. Presented by Jane Garvey. 
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Maria Bain's Carrot & Orange Cake
The Cake
4 Eggs – Size 3
Half a pint / 300ml corn oil
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
12oz/3506 light muscovado sugar
8oz / 225g Self Raising WHOLEMEAL flour
Pinch of salt
¼ tbsp ground nutmeg
Finely grated rind of orange peel
8oz/225g carrots, peeled and grated
7oz/ 200g pecan nuts – chopped.
Preheat oven to GM4/350F/160C
Grease & line a deep 8”/20cm round cake tin with greaseproof paper. In the bowl, whisk together egg, oil, vanilla & sugar, sieve in flour, salt & nutmeg.
Fold into mixture using a large metal spoon, the orange rind, carrots & 4oz of pecan nuts – then spoon into the tin and bake for 75 mins /until risen and firm.
Leave in tin for 10 mins then transfer to wire rack to cool.
The Frosting
80z/150g full fat cream cheese
30z/75g salted butter (not marg)
Finely grated rind of 1 orange
1lb/450g icing sugar
Orange zest & remainder of pecan nuts to decorate
Make the frosting in a large bowl. Beat together the cream cheese, butter & orange rind. When blended, gradually stir in icing sugar & mix until smooth & creamy. Cover & leave in fridge to chill.
Slice cool cake in half then spread a ¼ of the frosting over the sponge & sandwich together with other sponge.
Spread ½ remainder of frosting around the side of the cake then roll the cake in the remaining nuts.
Place cake on serving plate and spread remainder of frosting over the top.
Add whole nuts to decorate and serve. -
Father Colin Davies’ Boiled Fruit Cake
This is a recipe that I got from my mother, where it originated from I'm unsure. The quantities below make two large fruit loafs or two 8” cakes.
8ozs Margarine
12ozs Sugar Brown (Dark or Light)
12ozs Currants
12ozs Sultanas
4ozs Candied Peel (optional)
16 fluid ozs water
2 level teaspoons of Bi Carbonate of Soda
2 heaped teaspoons of Mixed Spice
Add good glug of Sherry or Madeira, to taste (this is optional).
1 good tablespoon of treacle (optional)
4 eggs beaten
8ozs Plain flour
8ozs Self Raising Flour
Pinch of salt
Method
Place the margarine, sugar, all the fruit, water, bi carb of soda, mixed spice, Sherry or Madeira and the treacle in a pan and bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to go cold ( I leave it over night).
Grease and line with greaseproof paper, 2 x loaf tins or 2 x 8” cake tins.
To the cold fruit mixture add the beaten eggs, sifted flour and the pinch of salt, and mix well.
Divide this mixture between the two tins.
The top of the cake or loaf can at this point be sprinkled with Demerara Sugar (optional)
Pre heat oven to 180o, and bake for approx 1hr and 30mins (ovens vary so adjust the time to suit your oven) then check the cake with a skewer. If it comes out clean then the cake is ready if not give it another 15mins of so.
Enjoy.
Broadcasts
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BBC Radio 4Sun 6 Sep 2009 12:32 BBC Radio 4 FM only
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BBC Radio 4Mon 7 Sep 2009 16:00 BBC Radio 4
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