Apple Walnut Cake

Vanilla and saffron flavored cake with fresh apples, strawberries and crunchy walnuts, pistachios.

Ingredients:
Whole Wheat Flour - 1 cup
Apples - 2
Strawberries - 3 medium
Unsalted Butter - 8 tbsp (1/4 pound)
Walnuts/Akrot - 1/4 cup
Pistachios - 5
Light Brown Sugar - 1/2 cup
Eggs - 4
Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp
Baking Powder - 1 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon/Dalchini - 1/2 tsp
Saffron/Kesar - a pinch (optional)

How to prepare Fresh Apples Strawberries Walnuts Cake:

• Peel the apple skin and dice them into cubes. Add about 2 tsp lemon juice in a bowl full of water. Place diced apples into this lemon water till you start baking. Dice the strawberries too into medium pieces. Roughly chop walnuts and pistachios.
• In a mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients - whole wheat flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and saffron. Crush the saffron lightly with hands.  Mix all the ingredients well.
• Microwave butter for 1 minute and 30 seconds or till butter melts. Let the butter cool slightly. Alternatively, you can melt butter in a small pan as well. In another big mixing bowl, add melted butter.
• Before preparing the cake batter, grease the baking dish with butter or oil. I used olive oil cooking spray. Preheat the oven at 350 deg. F.
• Now time to add eggs to the melted butter. For baking, it is always better to use eggs at room temperature. Break one egg at a time in a small bowl. This helps to remove any egg shells if dropped while breaking or if any egg is spoilt.
• Add eggs and vanilla extract to the butter. Use a whisk to mix well. Start adding the dry ingredients, little at a time, while stirring. Mix till no flour lumps are seen. Lastly, add diced apples, strawberries and walnuts.

• Pour the cake batter in the greased dish and add diced pistachios on top. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes. Place a toothpick in the center of the baked cake and check if it comes clean. If not, bake longer. Slice the cake after it cools completely.
• Enjoy Fresh Fruit Cake with a drizzle of honey or whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.

Note: All purpose flour/Maida can also be used instead of whole wheat flour. Use any of your favorite nuts or dry fruits as well.