Apple and Honey Cake

A variation of the German 'Sunken Apple cake'. Scrumptious soft apples in a lovely simple sponge. Great on its own, or with creme fraiche, cream or ice cream as a dessert.

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 23 cm round or 20 cm square tin (preferably springform) with a little soft butter. Line the base with baking paper.
   Squeeze a little lemon juice into a bowl of cold water. Peel and core the apples and cut them in half. With the cut-side down, slice the apple halves thinly, but without cutting right through so that the apples stay intact. Once you have cut the apples, tip the water out of the bowl, squeeze over the rest of the lemon juice (approx. 2 tbsp), scatter over 2 tbsp caster sugar and toss together.
   For the sponge, beat the butter and caster sugar together until fluffy. Add the honey and vanilla and beat again. Separate the eggs, add the yolks to the mixing bowl and beat together. Sift in half of the flour and baking powder, fold in, then sift in the rest and fold in until just combined.
   In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Stir 1/4 into the mixture, to lighten it a little, then gently fold in the rest, 1/3 at a time.
   Spoon into the tin, spread to cover the base and smooth the top. Arrange the apple halves cut side down. Pour any remaining lemon juice and sugar left in the bowl over the apples. For a crunchy top, scatter over 1-2 tbsp demerara sugar.
   Bake for 35 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave the tin to rest on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and leave the cake on the rack to cool completely.
   Before serving, put the honey in a small saucepan over a low heat until liquid, then brush over the cooled cake (sponge and apples).