Apple Cake Crusoe Style

This recipe was called Tuck's Apple Cake but I've change it because I don't know who or what Tuck is, and it's just like the cake my friend Vicky Robinson's mum makes, so it's a much better name. Be warned though, this cake is mighty tastey and will be eaten very quickly.

A quick note about the ingredients. The butter will be easier to use if it's at just below room temperature. Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes to an hour before you need it. You can use cold butter, but it's more work for your fingers.

350g self raising flour
225g unsalted butter cut in to cubes
175g caster sugar, plus extra
450g Bramley apple, peeled, cored and diced
125g raisins or sultanas
3 eggs, beaten
pinch salt
1tsp ground cinnamon (optional) 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg (optional)

Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas 2. Grease and line a 20cm/8in cake tin.

Sift the flour into a large (it must be large as there's a lot of stuff to go in) and add the butter and salt. Rub the flour and butter together to create breadcrumbs.

Add the sugar and dried fruit and mix together gently, you don't want to make the breadcrumbs clump up into dough. Add the spices here if you're using them.

Add the apple chunks and mix in until evenly distributed throughout the mixture. I find it best to use the same technique as you use for folding egg white, not for gentility's sake but because there's a lot in the bowl and going mad with the mix will result in a messy kitchen!

Now add the eggs and mix until all the breadcrumbs are combined. Don't be tempted to add extra liquid, this comes from the apples as they cook down. Put the mixture into the cake tin and smooth it out a bit.

Bake for 1 1/2- 2 hours until golden. To check it is cooked through, insert a skewar or thin blade. If it comes out clean then it's cooked, if some cake mix is stuck to the metal, stick it back in for another 10-15 minutes.

Once you're satisfied it's cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool. Don't take the cake out of the tin until it's cooled enough for you to handle. If you remove it whilst it's hot, it will go a bit squiffy and wonky.

Sprinkle the extra caster sugar all over the top when you take it out for a nice crunchy top.

Serve warm with custard or cold whipped cream for a pudding or have cold as a cake.

And yes, there will be a chocolate brownie recipe coming soon!

1 comment:

Catherine said...

Oh my, that sounds delish. Blimey, I'm actually literally salivating. How revolting. It's like some sort of cakey Pavlov's Dogs in here.