Elvira’s delicious apple, amaretti and raisins cake

One of the women who have always inspired me is Elvira, my godmother.

She is a self taught cook and baker, a lovely real Italian mamma and grandmother. I have learned so much from her, her recipes have stayed with me ever since.

She is now pushing 90 and bless her, she still cooks! I often go and see her in Italy whenever I get the chance and she always makes a big fuss of me. There is always something nice to eat at her house, whether is a cake, a homemade pizza or nice biscuits.

This is one of her recipes which I used to make often when I was younger and I kind of forgot about it over the years. I did not remember the recipe well so I had to try it a couple of times before getting it right again. But here it is, as delicious as ever!

This is an apple cake made in layers with amaretti biscuits and raisins, a combination that simply works very well.

For this recipe I have used organic, cold pressed sunflower oil as I like the taste of this oil and sometimes I like to have an alternative to olive oil. It is good to change your ingredients from time to time to give a variety to your diet. I like trying new ingredients.

• Prep Time : 20 minutes
• Cook Time : 45 minutes

Ingredients

• self raising flour – 300 g – 2 + ½ cup
• eggs – 3
• milk – 150 ml – 5 fl oz (or more if needed)
• sugar – 100 g – 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp extra
• Italian amaretti biscuits – 2 handfuls
• vanilla essence – 1 tsp
• apples – 3
• raisins – 100 g – 2/3 cup
• lemon juice – 1 tbsp
• oil – 100 ml – 3.4 fl oz
• vanilla powdered sugar – to sprinkle

Instructions

Peel and slice the apples, put them in a bowl and mix them with the lemon juice and 1 tbsp of sugar. Set aside.

In a bowl whip the eggs with the sugar, add the vanilla essence, the oil, the sifted flour and mix well. Add enough milk to reach a semi-runny consistency. The mixture should fall easily from the spoon.

Grease a 22cm or 9 inch round non-stick spring form with some oil, with the back of a spoon spread some of the mixture on the bottom, put a layer of apple slices on top, scatter with some raisins and some crushed amaretti.

Cover with more mixture and continue making layers until the end of your ingredients (I managed two layers). Spread the mixture well with a spoon on each layer, it does not matter if the apples, amaretti and raisins get mixed up with the mixture as you do that. Finish off with some pastry on top.

Bake for 45 minutes at 180C or 350F. Check it with a toothpick if it is ready. Leave it in the switched off oven with the door left adjar if it is still too moist inside.

When the cake has cooled down, remove it from the tin. Sprinkle it with some vanilla powdered sugar.

I have enjoyed mine with an espresso.. just perfect!

Grazie Elvira.

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