Wendy Hays

You might wonder why there is no photograph of Mum’s Apple Cake. Well, I had a culinary disaster.

The day of the “big wet” back in October was a good one for tackling inside jobs.

I duly made the cake and photographed the steps for covering the stewed apple.

However, some blocked guttering drew me outside.

Wet and bedraggled I remembered the baking cake when it was far too late.

Saying that it was overcooked would be an understatement.

The original recipe is penned in ink in Mum’s WAF Recipe Book.

I always use the imperial measurements but I have converted these to metric and cup measures for those of you that don’t have scales.

Be very confident that anyone who tells you that they never have culinary failures is fibbing!

Mum’s Apple Cake

Ingredients

• 3oz or 95g butter - softened

• 4 -5oz or 3/4C or 130g of caster sugar

• 1 egg – beaten in a mug

• 9oz or 750g or about 2 ¼ C plain flour

• 2ts of baking powder

• Pinch of salt

• 1 – 2 C of any stewed fruit such apple, apricot or pears – drained very thoroughly in a sieve

Method

1. Turn oven on to 180C.

2. Sift the baking powder, flour and salt together.

3. Cream butter and sugar in the small bowl or an electric beater until light and fluffy.

4. Beat in the egg.

5. Using a metal spoon or knife, stir in the dry ingredients to make soft dough that can be pinched together with flours fingertips.

6. Line a round tin with plastic wrap, extending it up and over the sides.

7. Dot about 1/3 of the dough evenly over the bottom of the tin then press together.

8. Push the dough up the sides of the tin a little. Flour your fingers if the dough is a little sticky.

9. Using the plastic wrap, lift out the circle of dough.

10. Grease the tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.

11. Press the remaining dough over the base and slightly up the sides of the tin.

12. Spoon over the dry, stewed fruit making sure to keep it inside the dough.

13. Using the plastic wrap, upturn the pastry top over the top of the fruit.

14. Fit it down over the edge of the apple and slightly down the sides of the tin to enclose the fruit completely.

15. Bake for about an hour or until risen and brown around the edges.

16. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes before turning onto a cooling rack. When cold, top with lemon icing or whipped cream...