As requested: my recipe for lumberjack cake

As you know, I love cooking for others and, missing cooking for a family, often cook cakes and biscuits for friends and my husband's colleagues.  Apparently, with all the packing I have been doing for our move to Brisbane, I  have been a bit remiss, according to  the recipients, in the supply of home cooked treats,  so I whipped up this cake.  It proved to be so  successful, I have been asked to give the recipe.  Here it is, dedicated to DJ, with thanks from liberating me from packing:

Lumberjack Cake

Ingredients:

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored, with the flesh diced.
1 cup of sugar
 185 g dates, diced
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
125 g butter
1 egg
1 cup boiling water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup plain flour

Ingredients for topping:
60g butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup milk
 60 g shredded coconut

Method:

Combine apples, dates, bicarbonate soda and water.  Cool to lukewarm.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla and beat well.  Beat flour and salt alternatively with the fruit mixture.

With my wonky oven which bakes very hot, I cooked the cake for 40 minutes at 160 degrees, then spread the coconut mixture on top and baked it for a further 15 minutes.  I used to cook it at 170 degrees in my old oven for about 50 minutes and then allow 20 minutes for the top.

Turn out when cool.

(By the way, I love the topping, so often double the recipe to get more of it!)

As for what we have been eating while we are going through the packing, we have had

Beef cheeks in red wine

Cold beef cheek salad

Lots of take-always


and a meal at Ole in South bank:

Bouquet ones of anchovy

a racion of gambas y chorizo

Croquetas de Bacalao

And pulpo y chorizo.

Plus, a glass of red wine sangria.  As usual, good food, nice waitresses, and free people watching.