Toffee apple loaf cake

Take the eggs out of the fridge 20 minutes before baking to bring to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4 and grease and line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. Melt the butter in a small saucepan or microwave, then pour into a large measuring jug and allow to cool slightly. Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Add the sugars to the melted butter and stir well to combine. Using the back of a spoon or spatula, press down any large lumps of sugar. Add the yogurt, then the eggs, and whisk well.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, then gradually pour in the wet ingredients from the jug. Mix continuously, until you have a smooth batter. Coarsely grate the apples (no need to peel, but avoid the core), weigh to ensure you have 125g, then fold this amount through the batter. Transfer to the loaf tin, smooth over the top and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before decorating.

To make the buttercream, place the softened butter, icing sugar and custard powder into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for a few minutes, until smooth. Add the cream and vanilla bean paste, and whisk for 5 minutes more, until light and fluffy. Spoon into a piping bag, ready to use.

Place all the ingredients for the toffee sauce in a small saucepan and heat gently, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat to medium and allow to bubble, without stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.

Use a serrated knife to slice the loaf cake in ½ horizontally. Pipe dots of buttercream all over the base layer, then sandwich the other ½ on top. Pipe the remaining buttercream onto the top of the cake, then drizzle with toffee sauce and decorate with thin apple slices, if liked. Serve immediately.