Gillies Pie and cake shop in Bendigo used to make Paradise slice, but they stopped :-(I was sad about this, and decided to make my own version, based on a cake my mother used to make.
This is a slice with a pastry base, topped with a light fruit cake, and it's yummy.
Preheat oven to 180C, grease and paper a 19 x 29 cm slice tin.
For the base - 125g butter, 2 cups SR flour, 1 cup light brown sugar
Mix flour and sugar, rub in butter to make a fine crumbly mixture.
Press 1/2 the mixture into base of tin. (if you have scales, use them to evenly divide the mixture by weight - otherwise, it's easiest to make two batches of the mixture, using half the ingredients)
The cake - to remaining half of mixture, add
1 well-beaten egg, 2/3 cup milk,
1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice,
and 1 cup mixed dried fruit.
The mixture will be a bit sloppy, that's OK.
Spoon it onto the base, and bake for 45- 60 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
Allow to cool in the tin, then ice with pale pink icing, and sprinkle with 100s and 1000s.
This is Mum's original recipe - she called it Armenian Spice Cake.
For the base - mix 2 cups plain flour, 2 tsps baking powder 2 cups light brown sugar.
Rub in 1/2 cup butter (125 g) until you have fine crumbs.
Place half the mixture in the bottom of the prepared tin, and press down well.
Cake mixture - 1 tsp carb soda, 1 cup milk, 1 beaten egg, 1 tsp ground nutmeg.
Dissolve soda in the milk, add the beaten egg and nutmeg, and stir into the remaining crumb mixture.
Pour onto the base, and bake approx 1 hour, until firm when tested.
When cool, ice with white buttercream icing, and sprinkle with nutmeg. (or may be decorated with chopped walnuts if desired.)
BTW, Gillies still sell the best meat pies from their shop on the corner of Williamson St. and Hargreaves Mall, and just a block away, also on Williamson St., the Eaglehawk Bakery sells a wonderful version of Beesting Cake. Just in case you're peckish...
but the best Vanilla Slices are right here in Castlemaine
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