Apple and Sultana Dessert Cake

Apple and Sultana Dessert Cake

Ingredients
350g/12oz Cooking Apples - weighed before peeling
125g/4oz Self Raising Flour
62g/2 ½ oz Butter
125g/4oz Caster Sugar
1 Large egg
1 Teaspoon Almond Essence
Scant level Teaspoon Baking Powder
Icing Sugar

Method:
Heat the oven 190c (375f/Gas Mark 5). Well grease an 8"loose bottomed cake tin.

Melt the butter in a pan until it is just runny and then pour it into a large bowl.

Add the egg, sugar and almond essence and beat well until they are blended.

Fold in the flour and baking powder.

Spread just under 2/3 of the mixture in the cake tin.

Then, straight away, peel, core and slice the apples and arrange them roughly on top of the mixture.

Sprinkle the sultanas over the apples.

Spread the remaining mixture on top - it is difficult to get this last layer smooth, but do not worry as the blobs even out during cooking.

Bake for 60-70 minutes until the apple is tender when prodded with a skewer.

Loosen the sides of the cake with a knife and carefully push it out.

Dust very generously with icing sugar and serve the cake either warm or cold.

If it is not eaten straight away, keep it covered in the fridge and eat within four days.