For me, Pesach is anything but eight days. It's an intense five weeks' hard labour; scrubbing and cleaning like a maniac. When I sit at that Seder table, I breathe a sigh of relief, because mind, body and home have had a cleansing like no other. I'm ready to face the year with positivity. This cake keeps well, tightly covered in the fridge.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170 °C.
- Peel, core and cut the apples into eighths and place them in a small saucepan, cover with the water and bring to the boil.
- Once boiling, switch off the heat, stir and cover. Allow the apples to stand in the hot liquid until cool.
- Mix the pecan nuts, sugar and cinnamon well in a bowl and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until light and creamy. Add the oil and vanilla essence and beat until well combined.
- Stir in the matzo meal and dissolved bicarbonate of soda.
- Pour half the batter into a rectangular baking tin (a 20 cm-square foil container will also do) and sprinkle over half of the pecan mixture.
- Combine the apples and raisins and spoon half over the pecan layer.
- Pour over the other half of the batter, followed by the remaining apples and raisins. Sprinkle over the remaining pecan mixture and bake for 1 hour, then switch the oven off and leave it in for 15 -20 minutes.
- To make the sauce, dissolve the sugar in the water over a low heat then bring to the boil. If using white sugar, allow the sugar to turn a caramel colour. Remove from heat and add creamer. Mix well and pour over cake as it comes out of the oven.
