[ SERVES 8–9 ]

Do I have any idea why this is known as Dutch Apple Cake? Nope. There are many randomly named recipes written down in our family recipe book, this being one. The ‘Blanc Mange’ (which is actually a recipe for Swiss-roll cake) and ‘Sinking Red Devils Food Cake’ (which neither sinks nor is red) being others. But I do know that all of these recipes are foolproof, simple and comforting. This apple cake is unlike any I’ve ever come across. The apples are thinly sliced and pushed into the top of the cake in a star-like pattern, with only the thin outer edge of the fruit showing. When baked, the exposed part of the apple dries, becoming slightly chewy, while the batter-covered portion is soft and sweet.

Ingredients

110 g (3¼ oz/½ cup) unsalted butter

220 g (7¾ oz/1 cup) granulated sugar

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

2 eggs

2½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

250 g (9 oz/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

190 ml (6½ fl oz/¾ cup) milk

2 eating apples, peeled, cored and halved

2 tbsp demerara (raw) sugar

Preparation

Line, grease and flour a deep 20 cm (8 in) cake tin, as shown on How to Line, Grease and Flour Cake Tins. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4).

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and nutmeg. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and add the baking powder and salt. Stir in half of the flour, then half of the milk, then the rest of the flour and the rest of the milk. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Thinly slice the apple halves and arrange them in the cake batter in a star shape, pushing the slices in so that only the thin outside edge shows on top. Make sure you really pack the apple slices in, as they will shrink during baking. Sprinkle with the demerara sugar and bake for 35–40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.