Apple And Clotted Cream Loaf Recipe

Ingredients

• 5 small Bramley apples (around 650g/1lb 7oz)
• good squeeze lemon juice
• 300g (10oz) plain flour
• 1½tsp baking powder
• ½tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 200g (7oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 175g (6oz) golden caster sugar
• 3 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 150g (5oz) clotted cream
• 3tbsp apricot jam

You will need

:

• 1.4kg (3lb) loaf tin, greased and the base and sides lined with baking parchment

Method

1. Heat the oven to 170C, 150C fan, 325F, gas 3. Thinly slice enough apple to cover the top of the cake - around one and a half. Toss in the lemon juice and set aside. Peel, core and roughly chop the remaining apples, and heat in a heavy-based saucepan with 1tbsp water for 5 minutes or until softened slightly. Set aside to cool.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until well combined.

3. Fold in the sifted flour mixture, then, when almost combined, fold in the cooked apple and clotted cream until mixed well. Pour into the tin and level with a spatula. Arrange the reserved apple slices evenly on top and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until cooked through. Once the cake has cooled, heat the jam in a small saucepan, then brush all over the top.