I've been typing away merrily after looking for some of my recipes and then I realized that I would probably need to convert all the ingredients and temperatures etc.. I'm not sure exactly how one would measure 6.5257oz. Sure wish the US would go Metric. LOL

Another thing is that some of the words I use might need translating. Just ask if you don't know what I mean by some words.

I was thinking about you asking for "simple". That can be tricky with fruit cakes. I figure what I really find the easiest are the boiled fruit cakes. So I'll post a few of my favourites. I used to make really great ones, as are used in wedding cakes and xmas cakes but I've found that they're just way too expensive these days so tend to do much lighter ones.

Lots of fruit cakes use alcohol in their recipes. I tend to just use orange juice. Depends. If it's for something really special I'll buy a miniature bottle like I do for the rum balls I make for xmas.

These first three ones I'm posting today are from my Australian Women's Weekly collection of cook books.
I have a brilliant boiled fruit cake recipe somewhere from the Country Women's Assocation but I'll have to hunt that down. It's about 35 years old, unlike myself. lol

Boiled Date Cake

185g butter (6.5257oz)
1 cup milk
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup finely chopped dates (No seeds!)
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 eggs
2 ¼ cups self-raising flour

Combine butter, milk, sugar and chopped dates in a saucepan and stir over heat until butter is melted. Bring to the boil. Remove from heat, stir in soda. Stand 5 minutes.
Stir in lightly beaten eggs and sifted flour in 2 lots. Mix well

Pour mix into well-greased 20cm (8 inches close enough ) ring tin.
Bake in moderate oven 40 minutes.
(Moderate oven here is 190-200C (375-400F)
Turn onto wire rack to cool.
Serve buttered.

more to come once I figure this conversion business out. Actually laughing out loud here.