BlackBerry and Apple cake

 

BlackBerry and Apple cake
The secret ingredient this time is applesauce… it’s a game changer to get that ineffably soft crumb!
Pic by @byron_keane

Ingredients

100 g unsalted butter, melted
4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
½ medium lemon, zest and juice
pinch of salt
2 cups self-raising flour
2 large eggs
200 g (scant 1 cup) soft brown sugar
150 ml apple sauce
1 punnet fresh blackberries
2 tablespoons of pine nuts
whipped thickened cream, for serving

Instructions

Cooling time: 1 hour

1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC. Line the base and sides of a 20 cm round tin with baking paper. Toss the sliced apples in a bowl with the lemon juice and zest and set aside.

2. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs with the sugar. Add salt. Sift in the flour, mix then add the apple sauce and the melted butter. Mix the apple slices through and half of the blackberries.

3. Pour the batter in the tin, level with a spoon and top with remaining blackberries and a sprinkling of pine nuts . Bake for about 60-65 minutes. The top should be caramel brown and the cake soft-yet-firm to touch. To be sure, insert a stick into the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean, the cake is baked, otherwise give it another 2-3 minutes and test again.

4. Cool in the tin for 1 hour, then transfer to a plate and serve with whipped cream.