A soft, golden apple cake crowned with a gorgeous fan of caramelised apples, there is something utterly irresistible about an apple cake. Give me apples, lemon, cinnamon and a tender golden crumb and I am one very happy girl. This one is beautifully simple. Amasi keeps the cake wonderfully moist and gives it a lovely gentle tang, while the apples soften and caramelise on top, becoming sweet, golden and almost jammy around the edges.

A generous dusting of icing sugar is all the glamour this beauty needs. THE GREEDY GIRL IN ME SAYS… this is the sort of cake that deserves to be eaten while it is still slightly warm, preferably with a cup of coffee — and perhaps another slice for quality control. Obviously.

Recipe below:

INGREDIENTS:

• 200 g cake flour
• 160 g brown sugar
• 3 medium eggs 150 g amasi
• 50 g sunflower oil
• Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 16 g baking powder
• 2 apples, about 600 g in total
• Brown sugar, for sprinkling
• Icing sugar, for dusting

METHOD:

Prepare the oven and tin. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 22–24 cm round cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

Whip the eggs and sugar. Place the eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl and beat until pale, thick and fluffy. Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the amasi, sunflower oil and lemon zest until smooth and well combined.

Fold in the dry ingredients. Sift in the cake flour and baking powder, add the cinnamon and gently fold everything together until just combined.

Don’t overmix — we want a tender cake, not a workout.

Prepare the apples. Peel and core the apples, then cut them into thin wedges or slices. There is no need to mix them into the batter — these beauties are going straight on top. Build your beauty.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Arrange the apple slices in overlapping circles, fanning them beautifully towards the centre.

Sprinkle lightly with brown sugar. Bake. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool and dust.

Leave the cake in the tin for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool. Once cool, dust generously with icing sugar.

THE GREEDY GIRL IN ME SAYS… don’t be shy with those apples, darling. Arrange them generously and beautifully — because even the simplest apple cake deserves to make an entrance.

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE DRIZZLE

• 100 g cream cheese, softened
• 40 g icing sugar, sifted
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1–2 tablespoons AMASI, as needed

TO DECORATE:

1 Pink Lady apple, sliced very thinly Almond brittle, roughly broken into shards Icing sugar, optional

METHOD 1:

WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE DRIZZLE:

Beat the softened cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add the vanilla and enough amasi to create a soft, pourable consistency.

Drizzle over the completely cooled cake, allowing it to fall naturally over the apples.

TO DECORATE Arrange a few paper-thin Pink Lady apple slices over the cream cheese drizzle. Add delicate shards of almond brittle, concentrating them in a few areas rather than covering the entire cake. Finish with a light dusting of icing sugar, if you like.

THE GREEDY GIRL IN ME SAYS… Don’t be shy with those apples, darling. Arrange them generously and beautifully — because even the simplest apple cake deserves to make an entrance. And that almond brittle? Don’t put all of it on the cake. Keep some beside it for nibbling. We need a little quality control while we’re slicing.

SERVING NOTE This is particularly gorgeous served slightly warm without the cream cheese drizzle or completely cooled and dressed for a more spectacular presentation.

If serving warm, add the drizzle just before serving so it melts seductively over the cake.

ALMOND BRITTLE:

Makes about 1 cup

INGREDIENTS:

• 100 g granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• 75 g flaked almonds
• 1 small pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD:

Prepare your tray.

Line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone baking mat. Have it ready before you start because the brittle sets quickly.

Make the caramel. Place the sugar, water and lemon juice in a small, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally, but don’t stir with a spoon.

Watch the colour. Let the sugar melt and bubble until it turns a beautiful deep golden amber. Don’t walk away — caramel can go from perfect to burnt very quickly.

Add the almonds. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the flaked almonds, salt and vanilla.