I had a different post in mind for today, but I already wrote it last year.

So since I have not posted any recipes for quite some time, I will do so today in honour of the lady in the link above – Mammy.

I learned at my mother’s side, all those years ago….. that having a recipe sitting in front of you, does not mean the dish or cake will turn out as printed! 😉

His recipe for Cranberry Walnut Apple Cake was shared with us by Cecilia of THEKITCHENSGARDEN back at the end of last year. She described it as being very moist and soft in texture. I liked the sound of it and was anxious to try it. I made it, loved it and will do so again and again.

I was a little worried about the moisture level: sugar, oil, eggs and cranberries, especially if the fruit had been frozen. So using my carrot cake recipe for reference (it is made with oil), I began with one cup of muscavado sugar the only brown in my pantry that day. A whiz round and it still looked oily, so I added another tablespoonful of caster sugar. Happy with that I added the eggs and vanilla.

The dry ingredients were as listed, and added to the food processor. The mixture seemed heavy like soft toffee, but I continued and put the mixture in a large bowl before adding and mixing by hand, the remaining ingredients.

I used:

1. Whole fresh cranberries – well, as fresh as they can be after swimming across the pond, we do not grow them in these parts.
2. A diced Bramley apple – about 350g before the skin and core were removed.
3. Walnut pieces without further chopping.
4. Lemon zest.

I like to see what I am eating in a cake.

My next change was to use my holy tin savarin cake tin for more surface area and to prevent a soggy middle. The extra, I put in a one pound loaf tin. And baked them at 175°C/340°F. The small cake was ready after an hour and I covered the ring tin with greaseproof paper for another 30 minutes.

Once cooled, I cut the small cake. It was delicious and not too sweet, nicely moist, but inclined to crumble when sliced. I liked the fact that it was possible to taste each individual fruit and nut piece.

I did make it again, this time doubling the quantities and filled two 2lb and two 1lb loaf tins. I used a small on in the days leading up to the holidays, gifted the other one to a friend, I wanted a two pounder for my sister and wrapped and froze the last one. When I thawed that last loaf cake, it cut like a dream in perfect slices without crumbling and tasted perfect!

Cranberry Walnut Apple Cake
 THEKITCHENSGARDEN 

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar and
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Blend.
add 2 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla
Mix.
….
In separate bowl.

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tsp salt

stir then add

2 cups grated apple,
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 pound fresh or frozen (thawed) cranberries
the zest of a lemon

Toss, coating fruit in flour mixture.

Add to oil mixture, stir – then into baking tin and bake at 350 for 50 -60 minutes. Or until the cake is coming away from the sides of the tin and firm to the touch.

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On Saturday last, I was in the mood to bake so I set this recipe on the counter. Since fresh cranberries were not available, I decided to try a little variation of apples apricots, and pecans adding ground almonds and almond extract in place of the vanilla.

Apricot Pecan & Apple Cake
Preheat the oven to 175°C/340°F

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar and
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Blend.
add 3 eggs and 1 tsp almond extract
Mix.
….
In separate bowl.

2 cups flour
⅓ cup of ground almonds
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tsp salt

stir then add

2 cups diced apple,
1/2 cup roughly chopped Pecans
1/2 pound ready to eat apricots, quartered

Toss, coating fruit in flour mixture.

Add to oil mixture, stir – then into baking tin and bake for 50 -60 minutes. Or until the cake is coming away from the sides of the tin and firm to the touch.

This time I used a rectangular spring loaded tin and it worked perfectly and sliced like a dream.

Today I will enjoy a slice or two as I sing a quiet Happy 101st Birthday to Mammy!

UPDATE: Viv asked about converting weights and measures.  This graphic below may help her and anyone else who might be confused.

A page from an old magazine that I found years ago. You can zoom in on any section. I think it covers most of the FAQs to do with baking.