ICCHFC - Week 29: Apple fruit cake

This is the picture from the BBC Good Food magazine site of Louisa's Apple fruit cake which was, not only the overwhelming winner of the vote (over some ginger and carrot options), magnificent incredibly moist and a great Monday morning pick-me-up. Full of fruit but yet surprisingly moist.

The cake we had really did look like the picture sans icing. But, such is the high level of expectation surrounding the ICCHFC offerings now, there was much unnecessary apologising for an incredibly slight caramelisation at the very edge of the cake. It was perfectly tasty, so there's the library photo so save any blushes.

Louisa's apple fruit cake recipe (taken from BBC Good Food)

Ingredients:
200g butter , softened plus extra for greasing
200g dark muscovado sugar
3 eggs , beaten
1tbsp black treacle
200g self-raising flour
2tsp mixed spice
1tsp baking powder
2 eating apples , grated (approx 100g each)
300g mixed sultanas and raisins

Method:
1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line the bottom of a deep, round 20cm cake tin with greaseproof paper.
2. Beat the first seven ingredients together in a large bowl (electric hand- beaters are best for this), until pale and thick.
3. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold in the fruit until evenly combined.
4. Spoon the batter into the tin and bake for 50 mins-1 hr or until the cake is dark golden, springy to the touch and has shrunk away from the tin slightly. A skewer inserted into the centre will come out clean when it's ready.

P.S. Speaking of expectation, I cannot wait for Sara's honey cake...