Apple & Blackcurrant Crumble Sponge Cake

Every Friday at work we have 'Cake Friday' which as the name suggests is when we convene for cake! Each week a different person provides the cake and one of the cake club favourites is Waitrose's Seriously Buttery Apple and Blackcurrant Crumble Cake. We discussed at length how it would be good to make this cake at home but none of us has gotten round to trying it! It's a very light cake and the crumble adds interest, as does the blackcurrant as it is not as commonly used in a sponge as strawberry or raspberry.

In general I'm not that brave when it comes to ad-libbing with recipes which is perhaps why it's taken me so long to attempt this...I generally stick to recipes religiously...to the gram! To make this though doesn't deviate too much from the norm. It's a 6 inch Victoria Sandwich recipe to which I added 100 grams of stewed apple. I did contemplate adding grated apple or apple that was finely chopped but was worried that it may sink? Does anyone have any good suggestions about how to add apple to a sponge? The stewed apple melted into the sponge giving a sweet taste but not a discernibly appley taste.

Once the two sponges were ready to go in the oven I sprinkled a crumble topping over one of the sponges and then they were baked as normal. Then once cool I turned the bottom sponge upside down and spread it with blackcurrant jam, although you could make your own blackcurrant compote, and then piped on some Swiss meringue buttercream before placing the crumble sponge on top. The Swiss meringue buttercream is a good choice as it's lighter and much less sweet than regular buttercream; it is also most reminiscent of the Waitrose cake.

The overall cake tasted really nice and it's something a bit different without being too difficult to make. I gave the cake to my mum and dad and they both enjoyed it. It is quite sweet however, so you don't need too big a slice! If I were to make it again I think I might try the small chunks of apple to see if you can get a noticeable taste or texture of apple and I think I'd add a little more of the crumble mixture on the top.

If you'd like to try this recipe then just take your favourite Victoria Sponge recipe and add some stewed apple or diced apple before baking. Also sprinkle the top of one of the sponges with a crumble mix before it goes in the oven. To sandwich the cakes together use blackcurrant jam or homemade blackcurrant compote and Swiss meringue buttercream...et voila!

Waitrose describe their cake as 'A buttery cake with diced apple pieces, sprinkled with butter crumble topping, split and filled with layers of buttercream and blackcurrant jam' and I think this homemade version lives up to that billing!

I'm entering this cake into August's Calendar Cakes which this month is hosted by Rachel from Dolly Bakes and is hosted bi-monthly here at Laura Loves Cakes. The theme this month is Summer Lovin' and as blackcurrants are a seasonal summer fruit this cake fits in nicely. Check out next month's theme here on 1st September.