✚ keeps the doctor away

there's something about cold crisp wintery

days that makes me want to make fruit cake!

after noodling on the web for inspiration

I stumbled across this tasty cake

originally by Yotam Ottolenghi {swoon}

so get your mixing bowls ready 

{you'll need a few!}

for 

apple and olive oil cake with maple icing

you will need ....

for the cake ~ 

80g sultanas or any dried fruit

4 tablespoons water

280g plain flour

½ teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

1¼ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

160g sugar

120ml olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or seeds from a fresh pod

2 eggs beaten

3 apples, cored and cut into 1cm dice

grated zest of a lemon

2 egg whites

for the icing ~ 

100g sugar

100g butter

85ml maple syrup

220g cream cheese

preheat the oven to 170c/ gas 4

grease and line a 20cm round springform cake tin

put the dried fruits and 4 tablespoons of

water into a small saucepan and heat 

gently until the liquid has been absorbed

leave to cool

in a large bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, salt, 

baking powder and bicarb and set aside

in another bowl

blend the sugar and olive oil together until smooth

add the vanilla and gradually beat in the eggs

until you have a smooth, thick mixture

fold in the apples, lemon zest and cooled fruits

gently fold in the dry ingredients using a spatula

in a clean and dry bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks

add them to the batter in two goes

folding gently and keeping as much air as possible!

pour into the prepared tin and bake for 1 - 1½ hours

testing for doneness with a skewer

leave to cool completely

when the cake is cool, make the icing

by mixing the butter and sugar until fluffy

add the maple syrup and stir in the cream cheese

if you use a whisk it will be lighter

cut the cake in half horizontally

and spread one half with some of the

icing mixture

replace the top and spread with more of

that delicious icing

put the iced cake in the fridge to set

but let it come back to room temperature to

cut and eat and enjoy!