Apple cake with caramel sauce

SERVES 10

Make the most of seasonal apples with this lightly spiced cake, served with a creamy caramel sauce — and don’t forget to freeze any leftovers to enjoy another time.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

For the cake

160ml olive oil

180g light brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 large eggs

3 Braeburn apples

2 cored and diced, 1 cut into rings 1 lemon, zest only

100g ground almonds

300g plain flour

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the caramel

200g granulated sugar 150ml double cream

40g unsalted butter

1 pinch sea salt

METHOD

Cooking time: 80 mins Preheat the oven to 170ºC/150ºC fan/gas mark 3 and line a 23cm cake tin.

Whisk the oil, sugar and vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time and beat in the diced apple, lemon zest and almonds.

Sieve together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and add to the wet ingredients, then pour into the tin and top with the apple rings.

Bake for 60–75 minutes, until firm but springy.

Meanwhile, make the caramel. Spread the sugar in an even layer across a medium-hot frying pan and leave to dissolve — swirl the pan once but don’t stir. After 5–10 minutes, when the sugar has turned brick-red, add remaining ingredients and stir briskly to combine.

Reduce the heat a little, continuing to stir until it comes together to form a sauce, then simmer for 3–4 minutes until smooth.

Serve the cake still warm and drizzled with the caramel sauce. For an extra indulgent dessert, add a dollop of cream or vanilla ice cream on top.