Becca Crofts: Autumnal Apple Cake

Autumnal Apple Cake

Ingredients

160g brown butter (room temperature) from 195g butter

215g golden caster sugar (plus extra for sprinkling)

1 lemon, zest and juice

1 tsp vanilla paste

3 large eggs

100ml full fat yoghurt

40ml olive oil

1tbsp baking powder

250g plain flour

1/4 tsp salt

5-6 eating apples

Method

1. Start by making the brown butter. This can be done up to five days or a couple of hours in advance; the butter must return to a solid but soft consistency.

Place 195g of butter in a saucepan. Heat, swirling the pan until the butter melts and begins to caramelise.

It will foam and hiss, then quieten as it turns copper coloured.

Pour into a heat proof container, including any burnt butter solids, and allow to re-solidify.

2. Preheat the oven to 160c (fan). Grease and line the base of a 9inch round cake tin.

3. Core and chop 3-4 of the apples into small chunks. Finely slice the remaining apple into wedges to decorate the top of the cake. Squeeze the lemon juice into a bowl of cold water and place the apple inside to prevent discolouration.

4. Beat together the brown butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy.

5. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each.

6. Beat in the yoghurt, followed by the oil.

7. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt to omit any lumps, then fold this through the batter.

8. Fold through the drained, chopped apples, then pour the batter into the cake tin and smooth over.

9. Arrange the sliced apple wedges in a spiral on top of the cake, and sprinkle over 2 tbsp more sugar.

10. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester can be removed cleanly.

11. Allow to cool for a moment, then decant from the tin.

Dust with icing sugar and enjoy warm or at room temperature.