Happy Baking

In an attempt to get me going again after spending in time in hospital post O-Levels I spent a term at cookery school. Although finding it immensely difficulty socially and getting rather confused and lost almost every day I did come away with an ability to cook albeit slowly & occasional strop.  What I have discovered is that baking relaxes me.  Indeed there are times when I know I need to bake sub consciously even though I don't feel particularly bad on the surface.  

This certainly improves relations with the neighbours as I end up baking more than we can eat.

So I've decided every now and again to post one of my favourite recipes.  Every recipe I post is one that I have given to others and has been followed successfully by them.

HEALTHY CAKE OR CHUCK, CHOP, CHUCK CAKE

1.2kg fruit - this should give you a good kilo after peeling, coring and stoning the fruit. 

I usually use apples, pears and dates.  However in the summer/autumn I’ll use apples and whatever is relatively cheap on the market plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, raspberries, blackberries or blueberries. The choice is yours.

225g butter - preferably unsalted

250g castor sugar

5 eggs

275g plain flour sifted with ½ tsp of salt.

You will need either a 9"/20cm tin or 2 1lb loaf tins. Either butter and flour them or 

use greaseproof liners

Method 

Preheat oven to gas mark 3, 160ºC, 325ºF.  Put baking sheet in.

1. Cream the butter then beat in the sugar well.
2. Add the eggs one at a time beating well until it is a light cream. Add a desertspoon             of flour with each egg.
3. Stir in the sifted flour and salt with a wooden spoon.
4. Wash, peel, core as appropriate the fruit you've chosen.  Cut the fruit, with the exception of one apple (2 if very small) and some dates into largish chunks.  Fold carefully into the cake mixture.
5. Pour the mixture into a buttered and floured 20cm/9” tin or 2 1lb loaf tins.
6. Peel, core and slice the remaining apple into rings and press down lightly onto the cake top.  Halve the dates and add to the top. If using loaf tins you will need to cut the apple rings in half/
7.  Put in the oven on the baking tin and bake for 1¾ - 2 hours.  Check after about 1½ hours.  If it’s getting a bit brown cover with foil.  Will be firm to touch when it’s ready.
8. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before removing and leaving on cooling racks.

 Does keep well and will freeze.

By the way I call it a healthy cake because of all the fruit that goes in it!

Happy Baking

Oh yes I should say that I was prompted to post this by Richard Worth's posting of his very successful loaves today.