apple and date cake

There is a strange joy in buying out of season ingredients and baking with them. Dont ask why, its there and there is no explaining it. Here’s an example of the very same- apple and date cake prepared with ridiculously expensive pureed ( not even whole pieces!!) apples.

Ingredients:

• 2 large apples- cored, peeled and chopped
• 1/3C or 85 gms softened butter
• 1C powdered sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp b.p.
• 1 ¾ C all purpose flour
• ½ C chopped walnuts
• 1C stoned and chopped walnuts

Methods:

• Blend apples to a puree with 4 tbsp water
• Sift flour and b.p. and keep aside.
• Beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
• Alternately add eggs and sieved flour to the butter.
• Add the apple puree and mix.
• Keeping aside 1 tbsp of walnuts and dates for the top, add the rest to the cake mixture.
• Grease a 11” X9” cake tin and pour the batter in it.
• Bake at 180 degree C for 45 min to 1 hour.
• Cool, cut and serve.

Source: Nita Mehta’s Bakes and Cakes

Notes: The cakes texture is obviously heavier than the basic cake that we make.  Its  got too many things inside to not be!! But that doesnt mean its dry or that there is something wrong with the texture. Apple and date make a wonderful and combination. I have never made cake with apple puree but have read a few recipes.I was quite happy with the overall effect it had on the cake- I believe it made it softer. While the cake is soft, the chopped walnuts add just the right amount of crunch to it.  This is a recipe that you should try…..sometime in December!!