Dorset Apple Cake with a Crunchy Sugar Topping

This moist Dorset apple cake, based on a traditional recipe, has a wonderful topping of sliced apples dredged with sugar. Great for a teatime treat.

Preparation time :	15 minutes
Cooking time :	30 minutes to 40 minutes
Total time :	45 minutes to 55 minutes

Serves: 8

Ingredients

1 large Bramley apple, about 225g
225g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp mixed spice
125g cold butter, diced
125g caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp for dredging
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 medium eggs, beaten

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C, gas mark 5 and lightly grease a 20cm springform cake tin. Peel the apple, cut into quarters and remove the core. Reserve one of the apple quarters and dice the rest.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and mixed spice into a large bowl. Rub in the diced butter to form fine breadcrumbs.
3. Stir in the sugar, diced apple and lemon zest, then gradually stir in the beaten eggs to form a stiff mixture. Spoon into the prepared tin and level the surface with the back of a spoon. Thinly slice the reserved apple quarter and arrange on top of the cake.
4. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until springy to the touch. Dredge with the remaining sugar, then leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely, then slice and serve with clotted cream.

Cook's tips

Serve the cake warm with vanilla ice cream for a delicious dessert.