Apple, Cinnamon & Pecan Dessert Cake
Ingredients
- 225 gr. (8 oz.) softened butter
- 225 gr. (8 oz.) light muscovado or light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs (or 4 if smaller)
- 100 gr. (4 oz.) roughly chopped pecans
- 100 gr. (4 oz.) sultanas
- 225 gr. (8 oz.) self raising flour
- 2 level tsp. baking powder
- 275 gr. (10 oz.) Braeburn apples
- peeled & grated weight
- 1 level tsp. cinnamon
- Good handful chopped pecans
- 1 tbsp. demerera sugar
- Sprinkling of icing sugar, to serve
- Preheat oven to 140°C
- Grease and flour the sides of a 23 cm. (9") spring form or loose-bottomed cake tin and line the base with baking parchment
Method
This is a firm favourite dessert and so easy to make. Get all the ingredients weighed out before you begin.
Grate the apples, you need approx. 275 gr. (10 oz.) peeled & grated weight, stir in the cinnamon and leave to one side.
Place the softened butter and muscovado sugar into a large bowl and beat until mixed together. Add the eggs, flour and baking powder and beat until thoroughly blended. Add the pecans and sultanas and stir in.
Spoon half the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth over. Spread over the grated apple and cinnamon evenly.
Place small spoonfuls of the remaining mixture all over the apple and gently smooth out towards the edges with a fork. When you have it all covered, you can press down a little harder and flatten the top with a knife, turning the tin round as you work. (You will see what I mean when you come to make it as it is quite a thin layer and covering the apples is a delicate task!)
Finish with a generous sprinkling of chopped pecans, pressing them gently into the top of the mixure with with back of a spoon. Sprinkle over 1 tbsp. demerara sugar and then knock the tin gently on the work surface to get rid of any air pockets.
Place in the oven at 140°C and after 45 minutes place a piece of aluminium foil over the top to prevent the cake from over browning. Bake for approximately 1½ hrs.
When a cake tester comes out clean, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
When ready to serve, dust with icing sugar and serve either warm (with thick double cream, clotted cream or a pouring cream) or cold on its own.
