Apple & citrus cake

 Sometimes you need a quick cake to use as a pudding - my go to recipe is the easy Victorian Sponge that uses just 4 ingredients that most kitchens already have. 

I peeled & cubed 3 normal eating apples to put on the top.

The sponge mixture is:

180g self raising flour

180g caster sugar

180g butter (I used a plant based butter) 

3 eggs

Preheat oven to 170-180c (fan or normal oven) 

Cream the butter & sugar well, add the eggs one at a time with a tablespoon of flour to stop the eggs curdling. Add the remaining flour & mix well - don’t overmix. I added a teaspoon of vanilla extract for flavour. You could add mixed spice or cinnamon to the mixture if liked. 

I buttered & floured a deep pan - put all the mix in, smoothed the top then put the cubes apples on top, sprinkled a little brown sugar on top then baked it for 30 min at 175c, checked it & gave it a few more minutes until a skewer came out clean. 

While it was baking I cut up a small orange, a pink grapefruit & a lemon. I brought them to boil in a pot with enough water to cover it.  Once it was soft, I squashed tge fruit with a masher to release the flavours, added some soft brown sugar & boiled to use as syrup on the top of the hot cake when it came out the oven. I strained it through a sieve to use. It made about 150ml of syrup. 

I pricked holes in the top of the hot cake & gently spooned most of it over the cake. We had it after supper with natural yoghurt or ice cream. It was really delicious warm & generous slices were enjoyed …

I hope this has inspired you … 

Dee 🥮

Too good to waste ...

Whilst on a trip down to Dorset to see family on the weekend, I  was told to take what apples were left on the small orchard as they were now falling & with Winter approaching, would only go to waste.

 

I duly picked the remaining ones from the various trees - some small, some large, some sweet, some toe curling tart & brought them back with me.

What to do with them?

 

Kitchen Diaries by Nigel Slater provided the answer - English Apple Cake

 Do you have post-its sticking out of your favourite recipe books too?

The only change I made was to use organic wholemeal flour ....

English Apple Cake by Nigel Slater (from The Kitchen Diaries)

A slim, moist cake, best served warm, that will keep for a day or two wrapped in foil.

butter -130g
unrefined caster sugar - 130g
'eating apples' - 3
the juice of half a lemon
ground cinnamon - 1/2 teaspoon
Demerara sugar - 2 tablespoons
eggs - 2 large
plain flour - 130g
baking powder - a teaspoon
fresh white breadcrumbs - 3 tablespoons
a little extra sugar

Set the oven at 180C / Gas 4. Line the base of a square (I used round) 24cm cake tin about 6cm deep with baking parchment.

Put the butter & caster sugar in a food mixer & beat till light & fluffy. Whilst this is happening, cut the apples into small chunks, removing the cores as you go & dropping the fruit into a bowl with the juice of the half a lemon. (drain) Toss the apples with the cinnamon & Demerara sugar.

Break the eggs, beat them with a fork, then gradually add them to the butter & sugar. Sift the flour & baking powder together & fold them gently into the mixture. Scrape into a lined cake tin. Put the spiced apples on the top of the cake mixture, then scatter with the breadcrumbs & a little more Demerara sugar.

Bake for 55 minutes to an hour. The edges should be browning nicely & the centre firm. Leave to cool for 10 minutes or so before turning out. Eat warm.

Enough for 8

The question now is - a slice with tea or a slice as pudding after supper?

Decisions, decisions, decisions?

Do you use up the free offerings of fruit & vegetables that come your way?
Thanks for stopping by, always lovely to get feedback
Dee ~♥~