Ingredients
100 g butter, plus a little extra for the tin
100 g dark muscovado sugar
100 g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 large pinch ground ginger
1 large pinch ground cinnamon
2 eggs
Whipped double cream or ice cream to serve
Topping
50 g butter
50 g golden caster sugar
2- 3 whole star anise
3- 5, apples peeled, cored and cut into thin slices
Method
- Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C. Make the topping by melting the butter and caster sugar together in a pan with the star anise until the sugar has dissolved. Leave to cool a little. Pour into a buttered 20cm springform cake tin or cake tin without a loose base. Put the star anise on opposite sides of the cake. Use the apple slices to line the base of the tin, placing them in concentric circles.
- Beat the butter and muscovado sugar until it is pale and creamy, then beat in the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon and eggs, along with a pinch of salt. Spoon this onto the apples and level the top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the sponge is cooked through. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then turn out the cake carefully onto a plate. Serve with cream or ice cream.
