I don’t know where the name came from but Lumberjack Cake is an apple and date cake with a caramelized coconut topping. It is a deliciously moist cake perfect to serve for afternoon tea or even as dessert and it keeps well for 5-6 days.

The recipe I use was published in a magazine, either Women’s Weekly or Woman’s Day probably 25 or 30 years ago.

I recently made this for the first time in many years and it didn’t disappoint, it was always very popular in my café but it was one of those cakes that I would always think I must make it again but never quite got around to it. I took it to a friends to have as dessert and it got a big the thumbs up by everyone.

Lumberjack Cake

Apple and Date Cake with Coconut topping

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 20

Total Time 1 40

Course: Afternoon Tea, Dessert

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

2 Large Apples, peeled and finely chopped
1 Cup Dates, pitted and chopped
1 tsp Bicarb Soda
1 Cup Boiling Water
125 gm Butter, softened
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 1/2 Cups Plain Flour

Topping

60 gm Butter
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, firmly packed
1/2 Cup Milk
3/4 Cup Shredded Coconut

Method

Line a 20cm square cake tin with baking paper
Preheat oven to 180C
In a bowl combine apples, dates, bicarb soda and boiling water, stand until it cools to warm.
In a bowl beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and creamy, add the egg, beat again until combined.
Stir in sifted flour and apple mixture in two batches.
Pour into prepared cake pan.
Bake 50 minutes turning half way.
Spread with topping and bake a further 30 minutes or until the topping is golden turning half way.
Remove from oven and cool in the pan.

Topping

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

Notes

Cake will keep very well for 5 days.

Suitable to freeze.

Baking

Lumberjack Cake