Toffee-apple layer cake recipe
Prep time: 35 minutes | Cooking time: 45 minutes
SERVES
10
INGREDIENTS
4 medium apples, 2 of them peeled, cored and grated
350g soft light brown sugar
Zest and juice of ½ orange
3 large eggs
225ml light olive oil
300g self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp baking powder
100g ground almonds
2 tsp mixed ground spice
¼ tsp fine sea salt
150g cream cheese
100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
175g icing sugar
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6. Grease and line the base of two 20cm loose-bottomed cake tins; in one of the tins, make sure the paper lining comes up 2cm up the inside of the tin. Wrap the outside of that tin in foil – this is to stop the caramel seeping out.
Quarter and core the two unpeeled apples and cut into half-moon slices about ½cm thick at the widest part. Arrange the slices in the base of the foil-wrapped tin, overlapping them slightly.
Place 125g of the brown sugar into a small pan with the orange juice. Bring to the boil on a medium heat. Swirl the pan until the sugar has dissolved and turns a deep caramel – you’re looking for a consistency like a thickish sugar syrup. Pour the caramel over the apple slices and set aside.
To make the sponge, mix the remaining 225g of brown sugar with the eggs in a large bowl. When smooth, whisk in the olive oil and grated apples. Fold in the self-raising flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, ground almonds, mixed ground spice and salt. When just folded together, divide the batter between the two tins and pop in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Check by poking a skewer into the centre of the cake. Remove it from the oven if the skewer comes out clean – you may need to take out the plain sponge at this stage, but leave the one with the layer of caramel for another five to 10 minutes.
Leave the cakes in their tins for five minutes, then carefully turn them out.
While the cakes are cooling, make the filling. With an electric mixer (or by hand) beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the butter, until lump free, then gradually add the icing sugar. Keep mixing until smooth. Whisk in the orange zest and keep chilled until needed.
When the cakes are cool, place the plain cake on a stand and spread with the cream-cheese filling. Top with the remaining cake, caramelised apples facing up, and serve.
