“I was honoured and excited when Dr Oetker asked me to design a new cake for Her Majesty the Queen.  The nation wanted her to have something fruity so I have updated a traditional recipe with a contemporary feel using succulent dates, fresh British apples and lemon zest.  I hope everyone will enjoy making and eating this new cake at home for their own celebrations as well as the Queen's birthday."

Recipe

Moist and tasty, this nutritious cake is sustaining, simple to make with guaranteed results.  It can be covered with marzipan and sugar paste and decorated or simply enjoyed on its own served with English Breakfast tea or a freshly brewed coffee.

Ingredients

240g dates, stoned

50g sultanas

200g unsalted butter cut into pieces

300g light brown sugar

2 free range eggs

25g chopped stem ginger

2 lemon – grated zest

200g plain flour

0.5tsp baking powder

250g bramley cooking apple, peeled - grated or chopped

1tsp vanilla extract

Icing sugar to dust to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160C fan oven 140C.  Grease a 6” round cake tin or 2lb loaf tin.  Sieve the flour and baking powder together
2. Place the dates and sultanas in a bowl and cover with boiling water.  Melt the butter and sugar together in a saucepan and allow to cool slightly.
3. Beat the eggs, ginger, lemon zest and Dr Oetker vanilla extract into the butter and sugar.  Drain the dates and chop finely.  Add to the saucepan and mix well.
4. Stir in the apple and flour, then spoon into the tin and bake in the oven for about 1hr 15 mins until well risen.  A skewer inserted should come out clean with a few crumbs.  Leave to cool in the tin.
5. Dust the top with icing sugar to serve

Cake lasts a week stored in an airtight container (delicious from the fridge) or for 1 month frozen