Dorset apple cake

Name: Dorset apple cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 90g blanched hazelnuts , lightly toasted; 170g butter , room temperature, plus extra for the tin; 170g soft light brown sugar; 2 free-range eggs , lightly beaten; 100g plain flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp mixed spice; ¼ tsp ground cloves; 2 lemons , zested; 3 Bramley apples , peeled, cored and cut into 1 cm chunks (roughly 450g prepared weight); 2 tbsp cornflour; 2 tbsp demerara sugar; double cream , to serve

Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:25 mins
- Cook:40 mins
Easy
Serves 10

Ingredients

90g blanched hazelnuts, lightly toasted
170g butter, room temperature, plus extra for the tin
170g soft light brown sugar
2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
100g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 lemons, zested
3 Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1 cm chunks (roughly 450g prepared weight)
2 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp demerara sugar
double cream, to serve

Method

STEP 1
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a 20cm springform cake tin with baking paper.
STEP 2
Tip 70g of the hazelnuts into a high-powered blender and whizz until they resemble a sandy consistency. Roughly chop the remaining 20g.
STEP 3
Beat together the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Gradually whisk in the eggs, adding a tablespoon of the flour halfway through to prevent the mixture from splitting.
STEP 4
Sift in the flour, ground hazelnuts, baking powder, 1 tsp of cinnamon, mixed spice, ground cloves and lemon zest, then briefly whisk until fully combined. Toss the apple in the cornflour and remaining 1 tsp of cinnamon, then fold through the batter until evenly distributed.
STEP 5
Tip into the cake tin, smooth the top with the back of a spoon and sprinkle with demerara sugar and the roughly chopped hazelnuts. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 55-60 mins or until a skewer comes out cleanly when inserted in the middle. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.
STEP 6
Serve with a generous pouring of double cream.