Johnny Appleseed Cake

It's windfall time, and Newent is awash with apples. My friend Jenny tells me a kindly soul in her village puts out bagfulls of Bramley apples with an invitation to fans to help themselves. Anyone who cooks with apples, knows that the huge, tart Bramley is the perfect choice, so this free supply is a godsend, and I am going to be a beneficiary. Thank you Jenny.

In return for the apples, I am giving away a great recipe. Americans will be familiar with it, and European readers who try it, will, I'm sure, love it. It's Johnny Appleseed Cake. It's the best fruit cake ever, and it's embarrassingly easy to make. Ta Ra!

Johnny Appleseed Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup margarine or butter

1 3/4 cup sweetened applesauce

2 cups plain flour

1 cup sugar

1teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)

1 3/4 teaspoons  mixed spices

Method:

Preheat oven to (350F 180C Gas 4)

Grease 8" square pan on bottom only

In a large saucepan melt the margarine/butter

Remove from heat and beat in all the remaining ingredients

Pour batter into tin spreading to the edges

Bake 30-35 minutes or until top springs back when touched

Serve warm with cream or ice cream 

NB Brits: Bake  like your Victorian great-great grandmother. Use a teacup!