Apple and Blackberry Cake
This cake is unashamedly simple and seasonal. It is just about the sweet butter, the soft gentle flavour of the pears and the delicate aroma of the figs and almonds. Pure autumnal indulgence.
The method in this recipe uses a food processor and so the cake is very easy and quick to get into the oven to cook.
Make sure you use the best ingredients you can for this and you will be rewarded with a delightfully light, rich and delicious cake your friends and family with love.
Method
You will need a 22cm cake tin, buttered and lined and a food processor. The eggs and butter need to be room temperature.
Pre-heat the oven to 180c/160c Fan.
Prep time: 10 mins Cooking time: 1 hour 20 - 30 minutes, plus cooling.
Peel two of the apples and chop into 1cm dice. Core and slice the remaining apples. Place both in bowls, squeeze over lemon juice and toss to coat. Set aside.
Cut the blackberries into quarters and set aside.
Next, put the butter and sugar into the food processor and cream until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs and, with the motor running, gradually add to the butter and sugar. Make sure each addition of egg is completely mixed in before adding more.
Add the ground almonds and flour to the food processor. Pulse until everything is well combined.
If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a handheld electric whisk.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and gently fold in the chopped apples and blackberries.
Spoon the cake mixture into the buttered and lined cake tin. Push it into the edges of the tin and smooth over the top so that it is even. Arrange the apple slices onto top of the cake mix in two circles - one inside the other. Sprinkle over the Demerara sugar.
Place the cake on the middle shelf in the oven and cook for 1 hour 20 -30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then gently move to a cooling rack. Heat the honey in a ramekin for a 20 seconds in the microwave. Use a pastry brush to brush the honey over the top of the cake as a glaze.
Allow the cake to cool completely before serving as it will need this time to become firm enough to cut.
Serve warm or cold, perhaps with a bit of ice cream or cream if you are feel like it.
This cake is best kept in an airtight tin and eaten within a day or two.
Ingredients
4 apples
1/2 lemon
150g fresh blackberries
140g caster sugar
175g soft butter
2 large eggs beaten
140g self-raising flour
100 ground almonds
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp Demerara sugar
2 tbsp runny honey
