Apple and cardamom cake

1. Preheat the oven to 170˚C, gas mark 3. Grease and line a 20cm round, deep cake tin. Break open the cardamom pods, extract the seeds and grind them to a powder in a pestle and mortar; set aside. Using electric beaters, beat the butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the eggs, flour, ground almonds, baking powder, salt, lemon zest and juice, and ½ the ground cardamom (or cinnamon), until fully combined. The mixture will be quite stiff. Transfer to the lined tin and level out.

2. Quarter the apples and slice away the cores. Put cored-side down on a board and make thin parallel cuts into each piece, without cutting all the way through, so that they remain intact (like a hasselback potato; see picture). Position the apple quarters in circles on top of the cake (cutting down to size if necessary).

3. Stir together the demerara sugar and remaining cardamom (or cinnamon); sprinkle over the top of the cake. Bake for 55 minutes-1 hour 5 minutes until deep golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Check after 45 minutes; if browning too quickly cover with foil. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift out onto a wire rack to cool completely.