This cake used to be an Orange Cake. I started adding Apple, then the recipe has been altered repeatedly. Dried Black Currants, which are not so sweet or sour, are a good addition to this cake, I think, but it is optional. The most important ingredient of this cake is Orange Zest. I recommend to use a good quality Orange, preferably an organic one.

Cake Tin

Loaf Tin

Ingredients

125g Butter *cut into small pieces, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup Caster Sugar
2 Eggs *at room temperature
Zest of 1 Orange *finely grated
Juice of 1 Orange
1 cup Self-Raising Flour
1 ‘Granny Smith’ Apple *OR Cooking Apple of your choice, finely diced
1/2 cup Dried Black Currants *optional
Orange Marmalade for brushing *optional

Method
  1. Preheat oven to 170C. Lightly grease a loaf tin or line with baking paper.
  2. Beat soften Butter and Sugar together in a large bowl until creamy. Add Eggs one at a time, beating well. Add the Zest and Juice of the Orange, fold Flour into the mixture, then add Apple and Currants to combine.
  3. Spoon the mixture into prepared loaf tin, smoothing top. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until cooked. Cool in pan for 5 to 10 minutes before turning onto a cooling rack because the cake is fragile.
  4. Brush Orange Marmalade on top if you like. The flavour and texture of this cake are better when cooled.