ART oF LIVING: Southey Farm's Apple Cake

Southey Farm located at the glorious Devon, the county in south west England with rolling hills, numerous seaside towns with beaches, charming country thatched roof houses, beautiful gardens, sweet cream teas and the freshly baked scones with clotted cream and jam!
I spent numerous summers at Southey farm. The farm was quaint and blessing with many apple trees. I found myself full of ideas and exuberance in those summer days ... I spent much time cooking in the kitchen, making stuffed Cornish hen with apple stuffing, baking apple tarts, apple pie and apple cake. I developed an apple cake recipe and I named it Beauty-and-the-Beast Apple Cake.

Southey Farm's Beauty-and-the-Beast Apple Cake

• 12 oz self-raising flour, sifted
• 6 oz caster sugar
• 8 oz butter
• 3 large eggs
• 5 cooking apples
• 4 oz sultanas or raisins
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 3 oz toasted hazelnuts
• zest of lemon
• pitch of salt

1. Grease or line an 8" bottomed cake tin. Mix the sifted flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture is consistency of fine breadcrumbs. Stir in sultanas or raisins, sugar and toasted nuts.
2. Peel, core and chop the apples roughly and add to the other ingredients with the lemon zest. Lightly whisk the eggs and stir into the mixture - do not beat.
3. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake in a moderate oven at 350 F. 1 - 1 1/4 hour or until firm to the touch if necessary. Cool in the tin of on a wire rack.

It is so delicious served warm with clotted cream or apple sauce and a cup of sweet cream tea!

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