Spiced Apple Cake.

Things are slowly coming together down in Brighton! We finally have the internet connected, and just had our new sofa delivered. This pudding was perfect to celebrate with.

Inspired by a recipe for German Apple Cake, which should be denser in the base, I wanted something a bit softer and spongier. It takes a little while to make this cake; set aside a quiet evening in your kitchen to show your oven some love; it will love you back when you can sit down happy, with a bowl of this warming pud.

Cake

170g self raising flour

60g dark brown sugar

25g golden caster sugar

130g butter

1 'egg'

1.5 tsp lemon juice

Soya milk

Spices: cinnamon, all spice, ginger

Vanilla

Maple syrup

Filling

2 apples

100g dark brown sugar

30g golden caster sugar

1.5 tsp lemon juice

Topping

40g self raising flour

80g dark brown sugar

20g golden caster sugar

40g butter

Cinnamon

1/ Peel the apples and slice thinly. Combine in a bowl with sugar and lemon juice. Give it a good stir so that all the apple slices are well coated, and then leave on the side for a bit.

2/ In another bowl sift together flour, sugar and butter until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add egg and lemon juice. Add enough soya milk so it turns to a creamy cake mix. Pop in plenty of spices and a good glug of maple syrup, so that it tastes sweet and full of spices and autumn charm.

3/ In (yet another) bowl sift the dry topping ingredients together and add butter until crumbly.

4/ In a greased and lined baking tray, spread the cake mix evenly. Arrange the apple slices evenly and over the entire cake, completely covering the mix. Make two thin layers of apples; not too thick but not too thin. Completely cover the whole cake with the topping mix, sprinkle over some extra golden caster sugar and cinnamon on top.

5/ Bake for 45 minutes on 180c until the topping is bubbling and a deep brown, chestnut colour. Once cooled it becomes slightly crispy in places on top, dense and rich and sweet throughout. Watch out for the gooey caramel inside. Serve warm with ice cream or cream, or eat cold straight from the baking tray.