Apple & Sultana Cake Recipe

This is one of my favourite cake recipes, that's also good as a dessert (put another way, it serves both roles really well). It's also great if you have some eating apples that have been sitting around in the fruit bowl for a while that you'd like to use up.

The recipe's origin is the delightful Dorset Apple Cake - but the West Country recipe uses Bramley apples, whereas I prefer to use eaters, as they retain their shape and (unlike Bramleys) some of their texture. I also like to add sultanas and a touch of cinnamon (this is probably because I also love Dutch Apple cake - thanks to mum and my other Dutch relations!).

Here's what you need: a well greased and lined 9" round springform cake tin, or a standard tin with a preformed parchment liner (my preferred option). Set the oven to 180°C/360°F/gas 4.

Ingredients:

225g salted butter (or use unsalted and add a pinch of salt) at room temperature
225g unrefined caster sugar
225g SR flour
450g (around 5) 'tart' eating apples (e.g. Jazz, Braeburn or Pink Lady)
1 unwaxed lemon (zest and juice)
30-50g ground almonds
60g sultanas
3 large free range eggs at room temperature
1 heaped tsp baking powder
1 level teaspoon cinnamon

Peel, core and dice the apples (aim for 1 cm cubes) into a large mixing bowl and immediately pour over the lemon juice to stop the apples browning (even better, pour the juice in first and dice the apples into the juice, stirring after each apple). Mix the apples with the ground almonds and lemon zest. Stir in the sultanas. You'll find that the almonds and sultanas will soak up any lemon juice that's not been absorbed by the apples.

In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar (look for the colour to change, it should really look very pale). I find it best to use a hand mixer for this. Next add the first egg - start with the mixer at its slowest speed, until the egg has just combined, then shift up to full speed until smooth, light and creamy. Repeat with the other two eggs.

Mix the flour, baking powder and cinnamon and sift into the bowl with the butter/sugar mixture. Using a cutting action, lightly fold in the flour. Now add the batter to the bowl with the apples and fold in using as light a touch as you can. Once fully combined, pour the mix into the prepared cake tin and pop into the pre-heated oven.

After 50 minutes, turn the cake around and cover with a circle of parchment (to stop the cake over browning). After another 20 minutes, check that it has baked through - I press the surface and if it feels firm and rebounds to the touch, it's probably ready. If unsure, another 10 minutes in the oven won't harm, as it is, by its nature, a very moist cake.

Leave to cool in the tin for 10 to 15 minutes then remove from the tin and allow to cool further on a wire rack. If serving as a dessert, it's ready to serve after about 20 minutes. Keep the rest (or the whole cake, once cooled) in an airtight tin for up to a week.

A topping of toasted slivered almonds and demerara sugar adds a lovely finishing touch.