Apple and blackberry cake

At this time of year our hedgerows and fields are teeming with delicious local fruit, like apples and blackberries. Both give a nutritional boost as they’re packed with vitamin C to help keep away those winter colds.

As well as being good for you, apples and blackberries taste great, especially when used in classic hot British puddings. Apple and blackberry cake is just one example from our new menu, which is served with creamy comforting custard, made from milk from one of our local dairies.

Why not try and make it yourself at home, using the recipe below?

Ingredients (makes 12 portions)

  • 225g butter
  • 150g self-raising flour
  • 75g wholemeal flour
  • 225g golden castor sugar
  • 4 medium Eggs
  • 100g blackberries
  • 1 cooking apple (peeled and grated)
  • 5g baking powder
  • The juice and zest of 1 lemon

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180oC/gas mark 4/fan oven 160oC.
  2. Line the base and sides of a 20cm/8in of a square cake tin (not loose based) with greaseproof paper and butter the paper.
  3. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little flour towards the end to prevent curdling. 
  4. Beat in the lemon zest, then fold in the flour. Fold in enough lemon juice to give a good dropping consistency
  5. Fold in three quarters of the blackberries and the grated apple, pour the mixture into a prepared tin.
  6. Smooth the surface, then scatter the remaining blackberries on the top. 
  7. Bake for about 1 hour or until firm to the touch (cover with foil if beginning to brown too much). A skewer pushed into the centre should be clean when removed.
  8. Cut into 12 pieces and serve with custard, cream or ice cream.

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