Apple and Pecan Cake

We all love to eat cake ! Since the resurgence of the cup cake and the macaroon we have perhaps abandoned the traditional whole cake in favour of the two bite sized, hand held morsels.
Whilst we do love these, they are a fiddle to make, but a cake is so very quick and easy ! It looks just as impressive and can double as a dessert !
This little apple and pecan cake served with some cream does just that. It doesn't require icing and is
moist and delicious on its own.  It takes no time to whip up ! Do not use a mixer for this cake just a spoon or the apple and pecan will get chopped up even more. They need to stay chunky.


2 Granny Smith Apples
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped pecans 
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
125 grams butter
1 egg


Melt the butter in a dish in microwave or on stove top and set aside to cool.
Peel core and chop apples into chunks as you would for apple pie, or approx 2 cms.
Place into a bowl and mix through the cup of sugar and set aside.
Sift the flour  into a mixing bowl together with the bicarb of soda, and the spices.
Add the chopped nuts and mix through.
Whisk the egg into the cooled butter and add to the flour mixture. At this stage it will seem a little stiff.
The sugar will have released juices from the chopped apple, so add this last and lightly mix into the flour mixture.
Spoon into a round 8 inch tin and cook in a 160 C oven for 45-50 minutes.