Preparation time: 15 minutes; Bakes: 35-40 minutes;  Makes: one 9-inch cake

Ingredients

• 250g (2 cups, 9oz) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 225g (8oz, 1 cup, 2 sticks) tub margarine or butter
• 225g (8oz, 1 cup +2 tablespoons) caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 medium sized cooking apples, peeled and diced into small cubes
• Grated rind of 1 lemon
• 100g sultanas (golden raisins)
• Icing sugar, to dust the cake

Instructions

1.  Grease and line the base of a 9-inch (23cm) square cake pan or 10-inch (25cm) round pan with parchment. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) Gas Mark 4 ten minutes before using.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg into a bowl. Set aside. Mix the diced apples with the lemon rind and sultanas. Set aside.
3. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in one egg at time, until combined.
5. Fold in the flour. Stir in the apple mixture.
6. Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan and smoothen the top. Give the pan a few taps on the counter top to remove any trapped air. Bake 40-50 minutes or until the top is golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let sit 10 minutes then remove the cake and transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
7. For cup measures: spoon the flour into the cup, heaping it up over the top, then slide a knife across the top to level off the extra. Be careful not to shake or tap the cup to settle down the flour or you will have more than you need. I use a 240ml, American cup.

Points to Note

• Please note that oven temperatures are given as a guideline only. You may need to add or reduce the suggested temperature depending on your oven. I baked cake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 35 minutes.
• Last updated: 7 November 2019.

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