Toffee apple cake

Apples, eh? Something that looks shiny and crisp at the markets can turn out to be a fraud when bitten into. Soft. Floury. Bruised. That was our experience after being swindled at a farmer’s market recently. Before I continue let me say that I adore farmer’s markets and the farmers that produce our food. I have no idea how fraudulent apple man managed to get a stand at these popular markets but he did. Money was exchanged. Apples were bought. Disappointment on one side of this transaction ensued.

So there we were – a fruit bowl full of dud apples that Misses 7 and 9 kept boomeranging back from school each day.

If you are a follower of this blog or know me in the real world you would know that my instant reaction was to turn these fraudulent apples into a cake.

I found this recipe on the BBC’s Good Food site. If you have a spare decade check this site out – there is a plethora of good stuff just crying out to be baked.

This recipe requires ingredients to be weighed so an accurate set of digital scales is a must.

GATHER:

200g dates, roughly chopped

200ml milk, plus a splash

250g butter, softened, diced

280g self-raising flour

200g light soft brown sugar

½ tsp baking powder

4 eggs

1 tbsp mixed spice

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 small red apples

squeeze lemon juice

5 tablespoons tinned caramel *I used Nestle Top’n’Fill

LET’S GET TO IT:

Preheat oven to 180C and line a 20 x 30cm baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

Put the dates and milk in a small pan and bring to a simmer, stirring every so often. The mixture will turn to a brownish sludge. Remove from heat and set aside for 15 mins.

Meanwhile, quarter and peel apples [leaving skin on] and slice very thinly, then squirt over a bit of lemon juice to stop them browning.

In bowl of electric mixer with beater attachment place butter, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, eggs, mixed spice and vanilla, then add the date mixture.

Beat until well-combined but do not over-mix.

Scrape into tin then quickly spread the apples into neat rows, trying not to leave any gaps.

Bake for around 40 minutes, check with a skewer – you may need a little longer.

Allow cake to cool, then whisk caramel with a tiny bit of water until it is a bit thinner then drizzle over cooled cake.

Tags: afternoon tea, apple, baking, cake, caramel, eggs, from scratch, recipe, sugar