Apple and Raisin Cake – A Family Favourite
Apples and raisins, or apple and sultanas are a great combination of flavours. This cake is spiced with cinnamon, and has espresso coffee in it to balance out the sweetness. It is super fast to put together, and keeps in the fridge for about a week (although not usually, with people snacking on it regularly).
This is also a great substitute for a traditional fruit cake at Christmas or for any celebration. A lot of my family don’t like the traditional mix of dried fruit with mixed peel and glace cherries, so I often make this one. It can be iced with a simple butter icing, and is superb with a coffee butter cream icing. If you want to go completely over the top, put some chocolate coated coffee beans on the icing to decorate!
For those of you who have dietary requirements, this apple and raisin cake can be modified quite easily. If you are lactose intolerant, then using an olive oil based ‘butter’ works beautifully. And the two types of wheat flour can easily be swapped for Gluten Free options which sacrificing any flavour or texture.
For a Vegan option, using a vegan butter option and leaving out the egg won’t really harm it. It will just be a bit more like a dessert than a cake.
And to complete all the options – if you are not a fan of raisins, then dates are just as great! Chop them up a bit and soak them in some hot water for about half and hour before putting them into the cake mix. For a kick of decadence, soak the dates in brandy or sherry instead of water. The alcohol will cook out when you bake the cake. But the flavour will remain.
Apple and Raisin Cake
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups of raisins
- 200 grams of pie apple or 4 large apples, grated
- 250 grams of butter
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ cup strong espresso coffee or 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
- 2 cups water
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ cups plain flour
- 1 ¾ cups self raising flour
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 160ºC. Grease a deep 23cm square cake pan, and line the bottom with baking paper.
- Put raisins, apples, butter, sugar, coffee, water and cinnamon in a large microwave safe mixing bowl, cover with clingwrap and heat on high for 3 minutes. Allow to cool.
- Add the egg and flours, stirring until well combined. Pour into cake pan and bake for 1 ¼ hours, until skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle.
- Cool on cake rack and then take out of tin. The best way to store it is to wrap it in baking paper and then foil, and keep in the fridge.