Toffee Apple Cake

I’ve been testing this recipe for a while, in fact since Hallowe’en. I know it’s a long time to be playing around with a bake as important as Toffee Apple Cake but it was important that I got it right. My taste-tester-in-chief has declared it the best apple cake he’s ever tasted. He always says that, I think because he’s afraid if he doesn’t flatter me then his steady supply of cake will dry up. No matter, I have plenty of willing volunteers to take his place!

Look I could type up a long introduction about toffee apples, cake, my love for cake, my love of recipe development, photographing cake.

Blah, blah, blah

Just. Make. This. Cake.

Eat it warm, while the toffee sauce is still soaking into the sponge swirled with toffee sauce and studded with chunks of Irish apples. Add whipped cream or custard if you’re feeling decadent. Have it with lashings of strong tea, coffee or even something a little stronger.  Eat it with friends, smile and enjoy.

[recipe][recipe title=”Toffee Apple Cake” servings=”8″ time=”1 hour” difficulty=”medium”]

Ingredients

• 110g Butter
• 80g Caster Sugar
• 2 Medium Free Range Eggs
• 150g Plain Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 red apples
• 3 tablespoons toffee spread/caramel

For the Topping

• 50g caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 3 tablespoons cream
• 3 red apples

Method

Preheat a fan oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Grease & dust or line a small round baking tin, 18cm in diameter.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in the 2 eggs, one by one until mixed well. Add the flour and baking powder and mix well. Peel and core 2 apples then chop into large chunks. Stir into the cake batter (it will be a bit stiff don’t worry). Swirl 3 tablespoons of toffee spread (you can find this in your local Lidl store in the new Deluxe range) or caramel sauce (Carnation caramel in a tin is perfect) loosely into the mixture.

Pour the cake batter into your prepared tin and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Test the cake with a skewer or cocktail stick after this time and if it comes away clean, it’s cooked. If not return to the oven for another 5 minutes and repeat.

Once the cake it cooked, leave it in the tin but set it to one side to cool a little.

Pop the sugar and water into a heavy bottomed saucepan on a medium heat. Don’t touch it! Leave until the sugar/water starts to turn a golden brown colour then remove it from the direct heat and add the cream. It will bubble a little, whisk to remove any lumps and set to one side to cool.

Remove the cake from the tin. Core the remaining apples and slice thinly. Fan on top of the cake. If they are prone to turning brown easily, squeeze a little lemon juice on top of them.  For some reason mine didn’t so I didn’t have to in these pictures.

Pour the homemade sauce on top and serve while still warm for best flavour although it is perfectly lovely cold too.[/recipe]