Ingredients
-
2 cooking apples
-
1/2 lemon, juice of
-
1/2 cup raisins
-
1 cup walnuts
-
1 tablespoon sugar
-
1/2 cup shredded coconut (not dessicated)
-
1 1/2 cups plain flour (all purpose)
-
1 teaspoon baking powder
-
1 teaspoon cinnamon
-
1 teaspoon nutmeg
-
2 large eggs
-
3/4 cup sugar
-
150 g butter, melted
-
2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur (substitute a couple of drops of almond essence or omit this step if neither is available)
-
icing sugar, for dusting (confectioner's)
Instructions
- Set oven to 180C (350F).
- Grease and lightly flour a 23cm (9 inch) round cake tin.
- You'll also need three mixing bowls- small, medium and large- for this recipe.
- DO NOT PEEL the apples.
- Cut into chunks about 1/2" square- discarding the core.
- Place apple chunks into the first (medium) mixing bowl.
- Toss apple in lemon juice to avoid discoloration, then drain off and discard excess juice.
- Add raisins and coconut to the apples.
- Tip walnuts onto cutting board and sprinkle over 1 tablespoon sugar.
- Chop nuts roughly with the sugar, then add nuts and'nut flavoured' sugar to the apple mixture.
- Mix well.
- In the second (large) mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- In the third (small) bowl, combine eggs and sugar and beat until light and lemon colored.
- Still beating, add the melted butter and the liqueur (or essence).
- Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the egg mixture.
- Stir until well combined.
- Tip in the apple mixture and mix well.
- At this stage it may seem you have too much apple and not enough batter- don't worry!
- Turn the mixture into the prepared cake tin.
- Bake on the centre shelf of the oven at 180C (350F) for about 45-50 minutes or until the top of the cake has turned a nice golden brown.
- (Test with a skewer if unsure.) Remove cake from oven, turn onto a rack to cool.
- Sprinkle with icing (confectioner's) sugar to serve.
- Serve with thick cream.