Blackberry, Apple and Lemon Cake Recipe

This gorgeous cake is perfect for seeing you through the cooler months. If you can't wait until it cools to tuck in then why not serve it up as a pudding instead? Its delicious topped with rich custard or smooth ice cream.

HOW TO MAKE BLACKBERRY, APPLE AND LEMON CAKE

Ingredients

• 2 large Bramley apples, about 375g
• ½ cinnamon stick
• Zest of 1 lemon and 1tbsp lemon juice
• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 2 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• 250g plain flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• ½tsp salt
• 1tsp ground cinnamon
• 50g ground almonds

For the topping

• 2-3 Braeburn or Cox apples
• 100g blackberries
• 5tbsp apricot jam

You will need

• A 20cm loose-based tin

Method

1. Make the apple sauce: peel and thinly slice the apples, put in a small pan over a low heat along with the cinnamon stick, lemon zest and juice, and cook, covered, for 8 minutes, until the apples are soft and have formed a thick sauce. Set aside to cool.

2. Heat the oven to 180C fan, gas 6. Put the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl and beat together with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating continuously until well incorporated. Sift over the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Fold through, along with the ground almonds. Finally measure out 250g of the cooled apple purée and stir through the batter. Spoon into the tin and level out with a spatula.

3. For the topping, quarter and core the apples and slice each quarter into 3. Arrange the apples around the edge of the cake batter. Slice the blackberries into halves and arrange a few in the centre and some in between the apple slices. Bake in the centre of the oven for 50 minutes-1 hour, covering the cake with foil for the final 25 minutes to stop the fruit from overcooking. The cake is cooked when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

4. Remove the cake and set aside on a wire rack to cool slightly. Heat the apricot jam in a small saucepan over a medium heat until melted. Brush the cake liberally with the melted jam. Serve warm.