Blackberry and Apple Loaf Cake- Simple, Seasonal, Scrummy

Foraging on a walk

Line the loaf tin

The fresher the better

…until it resembles fine breadcrumbs

Thinly sliced so they cook well

To make the impressive central baked- in fruit layer

And the remaining fruit

Golden and smelling divine

The central fruit layer is really pretty

Just waiting for a cup of tea……….

A peacock butterfly on our walk

Such a greedy dog!

Tired, no blanket- she climbed up for a rest!

Just loving this sumer

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The blackberries are wonderful here at the moment. The non food photo’s above are from yesterdays lovely dog walk. A wonderful summers day with a blustery breeze. I cannot believe how many butterflies and bumblebees are about this year. The hedgerows and wild flowers do seem to be flourishing again. Am I the only person to have a dog so greedy that she eats blackberries off the bush whilst we are picking?! It’s a good job she only goes for the low ones as we would be in danger of falling out.

This is such an easy, seasonal loaf cake. I think it is rustic and yet pretty impressive with the baked in central layer of fruit. The mixture is quite a thick, sticky paste. Don’t be put off- it’s unorthodox but it works and is delicious. Please don’t be tempted to add milk to make it a softer mix- it wont hold the fruit as well. This recipe also works well with thinly sliced plums sprinkled with a little cinnamon sugar.

This cake makes a lovely present to take when visiting friends.

Ingredients

225 g self raising flour

125 g lightly salted butter, chilled

175 g golden caster sugar

2 large free range eggs, lightly beaten

2 medium eating apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly

150 g blackberries

2 tsp demerara sugar

 

Tin

A 900 g loaf tin, greased and lined

 

Oven

Pre-heat the oven to 190C (170C Fan)/ Gas Mark 5

 

Method

1. Put the flour in a food processor. Cube the chilled butter and also add to the food processor. Blitz until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.

2. Add the sugar and eggs and blitz again until you have a smooth, thick paste.

3. Spoon half of the mixture into the loaf tin and level with the back of a metal spoon.

4. Evenly layer half of the sliced apples and half of the blackberries onto the cake mix.

5. Spoon over the rest of the cake mix, level it with the spoon and add the remaining apples and blackberries over the top.

6. Sprinkle on the demerara.

7. Bake in the centre of the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. The cake is ready when it is golden and well risen and a skewer inserted into the centre, comes out moist but without cake mixture on it.

8. Turn the loaf cake out onto a wire rack and allow to cool.

9. Go blackberry picking again as you will want to make another!