Kentish Apple Cake

Ingredients

• 250g (9 oz) self-raising flour
• A pinch of salt
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 250g (9 oz) soft brown sugar
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 225ml (8 fl oz) vegetable oil
• 315g (11 oz) apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
• 55g (2 oz) sultanas, soaked overnight in a little apple juice

Method

Sieve the flour, salt and spice, and then stir in the sugar. Make a well and add the eggs and oil. Mix until completely smooth, then stir in the apple. Drain off any excess apple juice from the sultanas and add to the mixture. Spoon into a lightly greased 30 x 20 cm (12 x 8 inch) tin.

Bake on the grid shelf on the floor of the Roasting Oven for 25-35 minutes until risen and golden brown. Slide in the cold plain shelf on the second set of runners above if it needs a little protection from over-browning near the end of the cooking time. Leave to cool in the tin.

Notes

• Lovely with cinnamon cream
• Lightly whip some double or whipping cream until it just holds its shape, then sweeten with a little sieved icing sugar and powdered cinnamon to taste.
• Alternatively, ice with a lemon drizzle icing. Mix together 200g (7 oz) sieved icing sugar with the juice of half a lemon made up to 50ml (2 fl oz) with cold water, and drizzle over whilst still warm.