Nutty Apple Date Cake

I just love this cake and have been making it for years - even when it is not Autumn!

I found it in a magazine and tried it out - perfect!! Of course, I started fiddling and adapting it to my own tastes!

Grease and line the base of a 8” spring form, loose bottomed tin. Your fan oven to 160C.

In a bowl place all your dry ingredients:

12 oz SR Flour

6 oz light muscovado sugar [essential for the taste]

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Then add:

4 oz chopped dates [I cheat and buy them already chopped]

3 oz roughly chopped hazelnuts [ok with skins on]

2 dessert apples, roughly chopped, skins on, cored.

6 oz melted butter

3 large eggs, beaten.

Finally whisk the butter and eggs together and add to the fruit mix. Mix well, then tip into your prepared tin. Level off the top.

Take a third apple and slice in circles to decorate the top, then sprinkle over some more hazelnuts, between the apple slices [I use blanched for this]. Pop this into your oven for approx 1 hour, better check after 55 mins though, until the cake is well risen and cooked. Test with a fine skewer - you know the routine. Cool on a rack.

Melt a little apricot jam or compote until hot and bubbling [in the microwave is easiest] and brush over the top of the apples and nuts for a lovely sticky glaze. Wonderful