Apple cake

Name: Apple cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Cuisine: European, British
Ingredients: 130 g unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces, plus extra for greasing; 3 - 4 cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into quarters (see Tips); 3 eggs; 150 g caster sugar; 30 g brandy (optional - see Tips); 200 g plain flour; 1 tbsp baking powder; 1 pinch salt; icing sugar, for dusting (optional)