RUSTIC AUTUMN FRUITS MIDI-CRUMBLE CAKE: for small households, 1-bowl wonder, higher-fibre,

Rustic Autumn dessert: gorgeous easy-peasy sponge topped with fruit & crumble...

Rapidly Demolished Autumn Fruits Crumble Cake
'Really, really lovely with tea as the afternoon darkens.' Taster

This is a recipe for Sunday lunch: rich fine-crumbed sponge topped with chopped fresh fruit and a crumbly spice-scented topping.  

It's rustic because it has higher levels of wholemeal flour -- though the sponge still manages to be light and fluffy.   And the mix of brown and white sugars add a slightly smoky, caramel-ly colour which reminds one of leaf fall.  

The flavour and texture is absolutely delightful. 

Better still - the one-bowl-sponge could be managed by an older child.  But whoever puts it together, the method is a time-saver.

The cake is a little bigger than the usual midi-cake but is intended for small households.  For larger - or more greedy households - double the recipe to make a larger cake, or turn it into cupcakes.

Cost: £1.25

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

Batter

    2 large eggs

    85gm/3oz white self raising flour +

    28gm/1oz brown self-raising flour

        OR  113gm/4 oz white self-raising flour

   113gm/4 oz butter (or margarine), soft 

   113gm/4 oz sugar, half dark brown

   grated zest of half a lemon

  1/2 tsp baking powder

  half a medium crisp apple*, peeled and in bite-sized chunks

  generous handful blackberries, halved (opt)

Crumble:

  30gm/1oz cold butter, in cubes

  45gm/1.5oz self-raising brown (pref) or white flour

  25gm/scant 1oz sugar

  1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

  1/2tsp cardamum pods, cracked open, seeds bashed (opt)

Serve:

   Lightly dusted with icing sugar OR with

   Custard: either home-made, Birds or supermarket

OR both

    

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F
2. Line a 5"x7" pan with greaseproof paper (most supermarkets offer foil pans this size) 
3. Place cake ingredients in a deep'ish bowl; beat until blended; it will be thick, add 1 tablespoon milk.  Spread out as evenly as possible in the tin, building up the sides a little
4. Scatter over apple pieces then blackberries
5. Make crumble: mix dry ingredients then rub in butter until the mix has pea sized and medium lumps of butter.  Scatter over the surface of the cake
6. Bake 35-40 mins or until a toothpick in the centre of the cake comes out clean
7. Serve with custard, cream or lightly dusted with icing sugar 

*67 used Granny Smith

Comments: 

'Lovely cake - remarkably light, springy sponge with hunks of fresh fruit and a light crumbly topping.   Perfect with tea on a dark November afternoon.' Retired writer

Tip:

The cake is versatile.  67 chose apple and blackberries, and added cinnamon and cardamum to the crumble but any other fruit (even canned, in juice not syrup) and/or spices will do. 

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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.