Coffee and cake is a must in the Scullery - it's a time to take a break from whatever you're doing and sit down to enjoy an hour or two with friends or family. Cranberries, apples and spices make a quick and easy everyday cake highly suitable for afternoon tea.
Cranberry and Apple Spice Cake
- 2 ozs. S.R. flour
- 2 ozs. wholemeal flour
- 1 oz. stollen flour
- 2 ozs. ground almonds
- 1 teasp. baking powder
- 1 teasp. mixed spice*
- 4 ozs. butter
- 4 ozs. sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablesp. milk
- 2 ozs. cranberries
- 1 eating apple
- Line an 8 inch cake tin and heat the oven to 170°C.
- Sieve the first 6 ingredients together.
- Add the next 4 ingredients and whisk it all together with a hand whisk.
- Stir in the cranberries lightly.
- Put the mix into the tin and gently level the top.
- Arrange the sliced apple prettily on the top and sprinkle with a tablesp. of brown sugar.
- Cook for 40-45 mins.
- Cool for 5 minutes in the tin then transfer to a wire rack.

This cake is a favourite in the autumn when local apples are available everywhere. The warm spice mix makes the kitchen smell of Christmas.
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The cake can be varied by using a ripe pear instead of apple or ginger instead of the cranberries.
