THE RECIPE LIBRARY

Blackberry and Apple Loaf

With plenty of blackberries in the hedgerows this year and apple on the trees, try this delicious moist loaf cake
 
Ingredients
 
250g self-raising flour
I teaspoon of baking powder
175g margarine/butter
175g light muscovado sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 rounded tablespoons Demerara sugar
1 small eating apple (not cored or peeled)
2 large eggs, beaten
Finely grated zest 1 lemon
225g blackberries

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180c/160c fan/gas 4. Grease and line the bottom of a 1.7 litre loaf tin (9x20x13cm) approximately. If using non-stick tin, grease but there is no need to line the tin.
 
2. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Rub the flour and margarine together with your fingers to form breadcrumbs. Quickly rub in the light muscovado sugar until mixed.
 
3. Measure out 5 level tablespoons of this mixture into a small bowl for the topping, and mix in the Demerara sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
 
4. Coarsely grate the apple down to the core and add to the beaten eggs with the lemon zest.
 
5. Add the egg mixture to the rubbed-in mixture and stir in lightly until the mixture drops off the spoon. Do not over mix.
 
6. Gently fold in three quarters of the blackberries with a metal spoon, trying not to break up the berries.
 
7. Spoon into the loaf tin and level. Scatter the rest of the berries on top. Sprinkle over the topping and bake for 1-1hr 20minutes. Check after 50 minutes and cover loosely with foil if it is browning too much. When cooked the cake will feel firm but test with a skewer to make sure.
 
8. Leave to cool in the tin for 30minutes before turning out, then cool completely on a wire rack. Peel off the paper before cutting. It cuts into 10 chunky slices.