APPLE CAKE

If you don’t have Golden Delicious apples, use another good cooking apple, such as Pink Lady, Granny Smith or Bramley (the latter two are more tart, so apricot jam or a dusting of icing sugar would be welcome).

Preparation 25 minutes Cooking about 1 hour Serves 8

125G UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED, PLUS EXTRA

FOR GREASING

2 LARGE GOLDEN DELICIOUS APPLES (OR OTHER GOOD COOKING APPLE), PEELED, CORED AND SLICED 1CM THICK

JUICE AND ZEST OF 1 LEMON

180G WHITE GRANULATED SUGAR

3 MEDIUM EGGS

150ML MILK 300G PLAIN FLOUR 1 TSP BAKING POWDER

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan oven) gas mark 4. Grease and line a 23cm round cake tin.

2 Put the apple in a bowl with the lemon juice and 2 tbsp sugar. 3 Beat the remaining sugar with the butter until pale and creamy, add the eggs and beat well until you have a thick, pale mixture. Add the milk and the zest, then fold in the flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt and half of the apple slices, along with the lemon juice, to combine.

4 Pour into the tin and put the remaining apple slices all over the surface. Bake in the oven for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and springy to the touch.