An Autumn Cake

This lovely recipe is taken from an old  Cornwall WI booklet and of course, as it is Autumn now, uses cooking apples. The cake is very moist and is a good keeper. The apples need to be peeled, cored and simmered in a tablespoonful of water then mashed well, giving you a very slightly pulpy mixture. You will need about 3 medium apples.

You will need a 8 inch spring form cake tin, buttered and lined. and pre heat your fan oven to 160C

5-6 oz apple pulp

5 oz softened butter

5 oz soft light brown sugar

2 eggs

½ teaspoonful cinnamon

½ teaspoonful mixed spice

½ teaspoonful bicarbonate of soda

8 oz plain flour

3 ox chopped glacé cherries

3 oz any chopped nuts - I used pecans

zest of a lemon

demerara sugar for sprinkling

[although not in the original recipe, I added a handful of raisins]

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the beaten eggs. Then add the flour and spices and bicarb. Mix well, then add the fruit, nuts and lastly the apple pulp and lemon zest.

Tip into your prepared tin and level off then sprinkle over some lovely crunchy demerara.

Bake for about 45 mins until firm to the touch. Just scrummy. Trust me, this is a special cake!!

Note: I used one large Bramley and two Gala eating apples to give a variety off texture.