Lumberjack Cake

Aussieangel writes:


This a dessert standby in our house.  Warm with icecream and cream for dessert, or for afternoon tea in the garden.

Ingredients:


 2 large (400g) apples, finely chopped  
 1 cup (200g) chopped dates  
 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda  
 1 cup boiling water  
 125g butter  
 1 teaspoon vanilla essence  
 1 cup sugar  
 1 egg  
 11/2 cups plain flour  


Topping:


 60g butter  
 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed  
 1/2 cup milk  
 2/3 cup shredded coconut  


Method:


Grease deep 19cm square cake pan, line base with paper, grease paper. Preheat oven to moderate (180 deg C) 
Combine apple, dates, soda and water in bowl, cover, stand until warm.  
Beat butter, essence and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and creamy, add egg, beat until combined.  
Transfer mixture to large bowl, stir in sifted flour alternately with apple mixture. 
Pour into prepared pan.  
Bake in moderate oven (180-200) 50 minutes. 
Spread with topping, bake about further 30 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.   Put a tray on the rack below the cake in the oven, as sometimes the topping bubbles over the edge - if your cake tin isn't quite deep enough. 
Cool cake in pan.  


Topping:


Combine butter, sugar, milk and coconut in pan, stir over low heat until butter is melted and sugar dissolved.