Apples are the one fruit that I did not grow up with in my early years at least but one which I discovered when we lived in Athens and have loved ever since. We are lucky to have apple trees in our garden but am also given lots of different varieties by my lovely 91 year old neighbour, Patrick.
I always puree apples to keep in the freezer for sauces, to eat with pancakes, to make quick crumbles, etc.
I made this cake with some left over puree and loved its texture and flavours.
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
- 250g apple puree
- 115g butter
- 115g sugar
- 200g self raising flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 100g sultanas
- 2-3 tablespoons Metaxa brandy
- A handful of chopped walnuts
For the frosting
- 50 unsalted butter
- 110g cream cheese, at room temperature
- 30g icing sugar, sifted
- ½ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180 C (fan). With a hand held mixer beat the butter and sugar. Mix the flour and the spices and sieve into the butter mixture. Add the sultanas, the Metaxa brandy, the chopped walnuts and the apple puree.
Butter and dust with flour a 1 Ltr cake tin. Pour the mixture into the tin.
Place the cake on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for approximately 1 hour 30 minutes or till a skewer dipped in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
To make the frosting, place the butter and icing sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer for about 10 minutes to increase volume and reach a light, fluffy consistency. Add the cream cheese and beat another few minutes before adding half the cinnamon.
Spread the frosting onto the cool cake and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon.