We challenged Lizzie from The Baking Birds in Upwey, Dorset to create a Dorset Tea™ Dorset Apple, Cake and here it is for you to try at home. Deliciously moist, packed with fruit and bursting with flavour the cake has a Dorset Tea™ tea glaze making it the perfect partner for a lovely hot cup of our premium tea.

INGREDIENTS

Fruit:

• 2 Dorset Tea™ tea bags
• 250g mixed dried fruit
• 150ml boiling water
• 2 teaspoons soft brown sugar

Cake:

• 125g butter
• 250g dark soft brown sugar
• 500g English Apples
• (such as Bramley or Cox)
• Unprepared weight, cored & roughly chopped into pieces (approx 2 cm)
• 2 free range eggs
• 350g self raising flour
• 1 level teaspoon mixed spice

Syrup Glaze:

• 50g dark brown sugar & strained liquid from steeped fruit

HOW TO MAKE

To prepare the fruit:

• Put 2 Dorset Tea™ tea bags in a bowl, add sugar & the mixed fruit & pour on boiling water. Leave to steep overnight or at least 2 hours.

To make the cake:

1. Line a 7 inch square or 8 inch round cake tin with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to Gas 4/ 180C
2. Put the butter, sugar & drained fruit in a saucepan. Cook gently until the sugar is dissolved & then bring to a simmer. Switch off the heat & throw the prepared apple in the pan & allow to cool for about 20 minutes
3. As soon as it's cool, beat in the eggs and add the flour and mixed spice.
4. Mix until just combined & pour into the tin. Pop in the oven for 1 hr -1 hr 15 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
5. Whilst the cake is cooking make the syrup glaze. Add the sugar to the strained tea from the fruit in a small saucepan. Bring this to the boil & then switch off.
6. Pour this syrup over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.