Candy Apple Cake

Do you know what time of year it is now??? It's FRUIT FLY season!! Yeppers!! Fruit fly season and this past week has seen my kitchen inundated with the little dears, so much so that I decided to take all my apples the other day and make applesauce with them. (I also put out fruit fly traps. I'll tell you all about them at the end of this post!)



I had a lot of apples, and I got a lot of applesauce. Basically I just peel the apples and then cook them with a tiny bit of water over low heat until they are all soft and mushy. Sometimes I add a bit of sugar and spice, depending on what I am going to use it for. This was a real mixture of apples, I think I had four different kinds . . . so it's a real mishmash!



I froze most of it, but I kept back some to make this very delicious cake with. You will love this cake, and it's just perfect for this time of year. A deliciously moist cake, filled with applesauce and spice and covered with a tasty toffee glaze . . . so it's just like a spicy, moist, moreish candy apple!



My pictures are not the greatest . . . not only is it fruit fly season, but the season of good natural lighting has disappeared . . . so my pictures are not so good . . . and I overcooked the glaze a bit so there are a few lumps and bumps in it, which while they did not detract from the cake's overall deliciousness . . . they don't look soooooo good!



Oh, it is soooooo scrummy yummy . . . and as you can tell from that little black snout . . . it is clearly Miztie approved! (Spaniels are such loveable little piggies!)



*Candy Apple Cake*
Serves 10 to 12
Printable Recipe

This is a lovely cake that the whole family will enjoy. Deliciously moist and full of the wonderful flavour of spice, studded with soft raisins and crunchy walnuts, this truly is a joy to bake and to eat. The smell of this when it is baking is truly heavenly!

9 ounces plain flour (2 1/2 cups)
7 ounces caster sugar (1 cup)
16 fluid ounces unsweetened applesauce (2 cups)
4 ounces vegetable shortening such as Trex, White Flora or Crisco (1/2 cup)
4 fluid ounces water (1/2 cup)
2 large free range eggs, beaten
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
4 ounces chopped toasted walnuts (1 cup)
5 ounces raisins, (1 scant cup)

FOR THE GLAZE:
170g of soft light brown sugar (1 cup, Packed)
2 ounces butter
85ml of double cream (about 1/3 cup)

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Lightly grease and flour a 9 inch bundt pan and set aside.

Sift together the flour, soda, baking powder, salt, spices and sugar into a large bowl. Drop in the shortening, applesauce, water and eggs. Beat it all together with an electric mixer until it is all smooth, beating well. Fold in the sultanas and walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for approximately 50 to 60 minutes or until lightly browned and the top springs back when lightly touched. Alternately you may use a toothpick to see if it is done, which when inserted will come out clean.

Remove from the oven and place in the pan on a wire rack to cool for ten minutes. Invert onto a cake plate and dump out. Allow to finish cooling completely.

To make the glaze, combine the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan. Heat over low heat to melt the butter and sugar together. It should not feel gritty. Whisk in the cream and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat. Spoon over the cake.

♥♥♥How To Trap A Bunch of Fruit FliesM♥♥♥

Take a small bowl. Put about 2 ounces of apple cider vinegar into it. Cover the top tightly with plastic cling film. Punch a few holes into the top with the tip of a knife and set it near to where you are having the fruit fly problem. (It also helps to put away any fruit until they disappear.) The little beasties are very attracted to the vinegar and get in under the plastic cling film through the little holes and then cannot get out. It works a charm!



Baking in The Cottage today, a delicious Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza!