Wow, blog it’s been a while.
I have to admit I’m pretty envious of all these people that manage to work full-time/ have a life/ blog regularly. Since starting a new job a couple of months ago I’ve definitely struggled to fit everything in, but I’ve missed my little blog – and I’m really hoping to get back into the habit of blogging regularly-ish again!
Recently most of my baking has consisted of thrown together one-bowl chocolate brownies, underbaked to perfection. Delicious, easy and satisfying yes, photogenic & blog-worthy not so much :)
An apple tree full of big bramley apples in my garden and a back lane full of blackberries seemed to give me the perfect reason to get back in the kitchen and dust off my camera again.
This cake is adapted from my apple crumble cake, which is still one of my all time favourite recipes. This version is a little simpler, but definitely no less delicious.
Made with juicy seasonal apples, buttermilk and brown sugar, and filled with fruity homemade blackberry compote and freshly whipped vanilla cream – this recipe makes a lovely rustic autumnal cake and is moist and fluffy with a subtle caramel sweetness.
For the cake -
300g/ 2 cups cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into small chunks
juice of 1/2 lemon
375g/ 2 1/2 cups plain/ all purpose flour
375g/ 2 1/4 cups soft light brown sugar
generous pinch salt
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
100ml/ 1/2 cup buttermilk
4 eggs
225g/ 7oz butter
For the compote –
375g/ 3 cups blackberries
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp sugar
For the cream
150ml/ 2/3 cup double cream/ heavy cream
1 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
1 tsp vanilla extract (or to taste)
+ icing sugar/ powdered sugar to dust
To make the cake -
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and lightly grease two 8″ cake tins.
- Muddle together the chopped apples and lemon juice and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl mix together the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Whisk in the eggs, melted butter, buttermilk and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
- Fold in the chopped apples until well combined.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the cake tins and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and risen and starting to come away from the edges of the cake tins.
- Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for a few minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the filling and assemble-
- Mix together the berries, lemon juice and sugar in a heavy based pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes until you have a thick compote. Leave to cool.
- Beat together the cream, sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread over the top of one cake, then dollop over the compote.
- Sandwich the cake together and dust with icing sugar.
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P.S. I totally failed at getting a pic of the inside of the cake as I was a bit over eager filling it and didn’t wait for it to cool completely first (please do as I say, not as I do!) So by the time I went to cut the cake, the cream had started to melt over the edges and get absorbed into the cake (still tasted amazing, but didn’t look so beautiful!) Then once I got back to my little photographing spot, my cat had decided it was his new bed, so I decided it was time to give up!
