I think this week it's just started to cool off, along with some welcome rains this weekend. I'm feeling Autumn is just around the corner! Whilst walking Hector yesterday in the forest, with leaves falling all around me, I thought to myself. What is my favourite season? It's hard but I would have to say Autumn, followed closely by Spring! 

We haven't harvested all our peaches yet but together with the birds we have just finished all our blackberries. Luckily there's still some left in the shops. The cake we are making this week is a super simple recipe. Matched with the attractive fruit layered on top and a fresh dusting of icing sugar it a really attractive cake too. 

Perfect for a cold and rainy Sunday! 

Last of the blackberries and peach cake 

1 cup grapeseed oil  

2 cups plain flour, sifted  

1 ½ cups light brown sugar  

1 tsp vanilla paste 3 eggs, beaten  

1 tsp baking powder  

1/4 tsp seasalt  

1 cup milk  

Grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange  

1 cup frozen blackberries  

Garnish  
1 punnet fresh blackberries  

3 peaches, destoned and cut into segments  

3 tbsp pomegranate arils  

Icing sugar for dusting 

Creme fraiche 

Preheat oven to 170*C. Lightly spray a 23cm cake tin, using a piece of greaseproof on the bottom.  

In a medium bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt.  
Then in another bowl combine the grapeseed oil, milk, eggs, lemon and orange zest, vanilla paste.  

Finally fold through the frozen blackberries and pour mix into the cake tin.  
Bake for approx 1 hour or until a toothpick removes cleanly from the center of the cake.  

Remove from cake tin and rest on a cake rack for 15 minutes.  

To finish  
Place the cake onto a cake stand and garnish with the remaining fruit and dusting with icing sugar.  

Serve with some creme fraiche on the side 

Mike’s website – goodfromscratch.co.nz