I'm about to share one of my favourite ever cake recipes with you. It's been hugely popular in the Odd Socks household for as long as I can remember and believe me when I say it is amazing. It smells fantastic when you're making and baking it and it tastes even better when you're eating it. Plus it's got apples and sultanas in so it's practically healthy!
You will need:
5oz/125g margarine
2 large eggs
8oz/225g sugar (the recipe does say caster but using half caster, half demerara will make it more interesting)
8oz/225g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp almond essence
Sultanas (if you like them. The original recipe didn't have them so they're not absolutely vital)
12oz/350g Bramley apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1oz/25g flaked almonds
Demerara sugar
Grease and line an 8inch loose-bottomed cake tin. I used a square one instead of a round one because the cake was intended for a picnic and it's easier to take big chunks of cake than it is dainty triangles, but you can go mad and use whichever shape you want.
Melt the margarine.
Mix together the margarine, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder and almond essence in a bowl, until the mixture is smooth. It'll look different to a sponge mixture - much thicker - and will smell DIVINE.
If you like sultanas, chuck in a liberal handful and stir a bit more. I love them.
Plonk half the mixture in the tin and level it off.
Layer the apple on top of the mixture. You can err on the generous side here because it never looks as much once it's cooked. I also sprinkle in a few extra sultanas and flaked almonds.
Spoon the rest of the mixture into the tin and top with the flaked almonds and a generous sprinkling of demerara sugar.
Cook at Gas Mark 3/325 F/160 C for about 1 ½ hours, until the top is golden brown and the middle is cooked through.
Allow to cool slightly before removing from the tin. This version is gluten-free (and dairy free. Hurrah for Vitalite!) so doesn't rise quite as much as a normal one would but that makes no real difference. It's still gorgeous. I do thoroughly recommend it as a g/f recipe though because the consistency holds up really well.
Chop into big chunks and enjoy. It's amazing warm, either by itself or with ice cream. Mmmm, crunchy sugar topping...
Yum. I almost kinda miss cake :/
ReplyDeleteLooks amazing, will try this one out one day!
ReplyDeletemmmmmm can't wait to eat cake all weekend ;)xx
ReplyDeleteyum this does look amazing- I'm definitely bookmarking the recipe for a later date! xx
ReplyDeleteI made an apple sauce cake today, I can't try any of it though coz it's going in a charity bake sale thingy tomorrow :(
ReplyDeleteWarm with I've cream!?! OMG! I think this may replace my current obsession for warm brownie and ice cream! *get me apples now!*
ReplyDeleteJenni x
Bows Bangles & Bakes
Mm, that's what work's getting this week x
ReplyDeleteMmm, that looks scrumptious!
ReplyDeleteWhat a delicious looking cake! Cakes with sugary, crunchy toppings are the best.
ReplyDeleteIt looks pretty tasty. I could just eat a bit now, with a brew!
ReplyDeleteI think im going to do this for my sons first birthday cake.... apples and saltanas? Its almost a health food ;)
ReplyDeleteThis cake was amazing! I think i didnt put enough apple in, and i doubled the cake mixture, but it was moist and most yummy! The one year old loved it, the fussy three year old couldnt be persuaded, but that just meant that there was more for me :)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely going to try this, and gluten-free too wheee. If you have any other apple cooking recommendations, please send my way. Autumn brings an excess of apples...
ReplyDelete