I first used this recipe when I was about 8 or 9 years old and it was in a book that I was given for my birthday called ‘How to do baking’. It has been a favourite ever since – the fat is rubbed in to the flour making the cake a more crumbly texture. Over the years I have altered the ingredients slightly – this one is made with light soft brown sugar, sultanas, dried apricots and dried pears as that was what I happened to have in the larder. It keeps well, although with hungry mouths to feed after school it is usually eaten quickly!