Apple Cake

 Ingredients:
Green Apples- 4 medium size apples - 454 gms,
Roasted walnuts- 50 gms,
Raisins- 1/3 cup or 50 gms ( optional ),
Fresh lemon juice- 1 tbsp,
All purpose flour- 1 and 1/2 cup or 195 gms,
Sugar- 3/4 cup or 143 gms,
Baking pwd- 1, 1/2 tsp,
Ground cinnamon pwd- 1tsp,
Butter melted- 6 tbsp or 85 gms ( cooled to room temperature ),
Egg -2( beaten ),
Vanilla essence- 1/2 tsp,
Milk- 2tbsp,
Salt a pinch,
Apricot glaze-1/3 cup( 85 gms)

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 350F or 180 C.
Place rack in the center of the oven.

Butter your 8 inch baking pan and then line it with butter paper, which is hanging at the sides too.
( the hanging paper  will help in lifting the cake from the baking pan ) 

This cake is very soft and delicate.The fruit filling makes the texture of the cake very soft.
Every time you slice it, wipe the blade of the crumbs.
Since it is made from fresh fruit and there are no preservatives in it, it has to be refrigerated and consumed within 4 to 5 days.
This cake is eaten warm but you can have it either  way, cold or warm it tastes delicious.

Roast the nuts in the oven and then leave it to cool.
Rub off the outer skin and then coarsely chop it.
Peel,core and chop the apples into bite sized pieces.
Toss with 1 tbsp of lemon juice.

In a bowl of your mixer combine flour,sugar,baking pwd,ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt.

Run the mixer for few seconds.
Add melted butter,eggs,vanilla essence and milk and beat until incorporated ( few seconds ).

Add the chopped nuts and chopped apples ( a second ).
Run the mixer for a second so that the apples, nuts and raisins( optional ) are evenly coated with the flour batter.

Transfer the batter to the baking pan.
With a knife smooth the top and fill the corners.

Bake in pre-heated for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.
Pierce a toothpick or knife in the center of the cake to see if it comes out clean.

Remove from oven and place it on the wire rack.

Prepare the glaze while the cake is still warm.
Take 2 tbsp of apricot jam and heat it in microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.

Sieve it to remove any lumps.
Using a pastry brush,spread the warmed preserve over the warm Apple cake.

Lift the cake from the pan after 10 minutes and then leave it cool for 20 minutes more. then you can slice it..

Dont worry if the cake pieces are crumbly while slicing it, it  is a soft cake full of apple chunks.

Best when eaten fresh.
Cover and can be kept  in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
Enjoy this delicious fresh fruit cake with a cup of coffee.