Dual purpose sweet potato and whole orange fruit cake.

I don’t bake: Tracy does.

Being of Scottish heritage, baking is like a sixth sense to her. Essentially, she opens the oven door and throws a bunch of ingredients and a baking dish in; and soon after there’s anything from a batch of muffins (chocolate and cherry was the last lot) to a fully decorated hummingbird cake on the table.

The following recipe has been on high rotation here this winter. Unfortunately, Tracy is as vague as I am about quantities but this is as close as I can establish.

Bring one and a half cups dried fruit to a simmer, then let cool, then drain. (Not packet dried fruit – we buy sultanas, currants, prunes and apricots in bulk from the nut shop.)

Process a whole orange in your blender. Or two mandarines for a nice variation.

Whisk two eggs.

Cook enough pumpkin (or sweet potato) for one cup when mashed.

Now: mix all of the above with two cups wholemeal and one cup white self-raising flour and a third of a teaspoon each of ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon and ginger.

Butter a round baking tin and line with brown paper, then bake at 180 celsius for one hour.

Purpose One: serve as an afternoon or morning snack with tea or coffee. Ideal for children, contains plenty of vegetable and fruit goodness.

Purpose Two: warm slices, and serve drizzled with hot brandy butter sauce and pure King Island cream. Heaven on a cold night.