Lumberjack Cake
2 green apples
185g dates, chopped
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 cup boiling water
125g butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping:
60g butter
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 cup milk
1 cup shredded coconut
1. Line a 20 cm square cake tine with non-stick baking paper.
2. Peel, core and finely chop apples.
3. Combine apples, dates, bicarbonate of soda and boiling water. Allow to cool to lukewarm.
4. Cream butter and sugar until light and creamy.
5. Add egg and vanilla and beat well.
6. Sift flour and salt together and mix into butter mixture alternately with cooled mixture.
7. Pour mixture into prepared tin and bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour or until cake is cooked when tested with a skewer.
Topping:
1. Combine butter, brown sugar, milk and coconut in a small saucepan.
2. Stir over a gentle heat until butter and sugar has melted.
3. Spread topping over the cake and cook it for a further 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown.