Dorset apple cake
A traditional autumnal bake from the West Country. Spiced sponge, sweet apples and boozy sultanas. Serve with Cornish clotted cream for an extra special treat.
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 160c.
Grease and line the base and sides of a deep, 20cm loose bottom cake tin.
Put the brandy and sultanas in a bowl and place to one side.
In a large mixing bowl sift in the flours, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Rub the cold butter into the mixture using your fingertips to make fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.
Stir in the eggs and lemon zest then the milk until it’s all just incorporated. Fold in most of the chopped apple. Drain the sultanas from the brandy and fold into the mixture. Spoon into the prepared cake tin and smooth over the mixture with a spatula. Sprinkle over the demerara sugar and remaining apple.
Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean from the centre when inserted.
Allow cooling in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out on to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Serve with clotted cream.
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Ingredients
2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
100g sultanas
125g self-raising flour
100g whole-wheat plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch salt
120g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes plus extra for greasing
120g soft light brown sugar
2 Clarence Court Old Cotswold Legbar eggs
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons milk
400g eating apples peeled, cored and diced
Demerara sugar