This is a very easy, and very fast cake recipe I came up with one day.  I was feeling like I wanted both a sponge cake and an apple pie… and I experimented with combining sponge cake and apples.  The result was a winner – we all agreed that the combination of moist sponge and tangy melted apples was just delicious! 

This cake is really easy and fast to make.  It’s delicious when eaten while it’s still a little warm, so you don’t have to plan to make it ahead of time – if you suddenly feel like a treat and have a spare apple in your kitchen, just start baking and less than two hours later, you’ll be savouring a lovely treat!

The secret of this cake is in the apple… use a cooking apple that will melt when cooked and tastes a little tart – Boskoop, Braeburn or Bramley are ideal.  Just like with apple crumble, the combination of the sweet cake and the tangy fruit makes this particularly delicious 

So, here it is…

Ingredients:

• 150 g butter – at room temperature
• 130 g sugar (I use brown sugar)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
• 3 eggs
• 150 g gluten free flour – I find Doves Farm self-raising flour is ideal for this cake; if you don’t have that one, Schaer Mix C works well too (see products used)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder – only if you are not using self-raising flour!
• 60 g milk
• a pinch of salt
• cinnamon (optional)
• 1 cooking apple

Method:

• Mix the softened butter, sugar and vanilla sugar in a large bowl.
• Add the eggs and mix well, preferably using a blender.
• Add the flour, baking powder if using, pinch of salt and milk and mix well again.
• Line the bottom of a cake tin with non-stick paper and pour the mixture into the tin.
• Peel and core the apple, then cut into thin slices
• Place the apple slices on the top of the cake (see picture)
• Sprinkle with some cinnamon if using
• Bake in the oven at 200°C for 45 minutes

I am pretty sure this would be delicious served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream… but I’ve never tried it!  Must do so and let you all know!

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do