Speedy apple cake

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 160C fan/gas mark 4. Butter a 23cm flan dish or tin with a removable base.

Step 2

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, then turn off the heat and add the sugar. Beat for a minute, then add the flour, baking powder, eggs and salt and stir with a wooden spoon until a smooth batter is formed. Pour the batter into the flan dish or tin.

Step 3

Put the apple halves flat side down on a board and cut into them at about 3mm intervals, but not all the way through, so they are in slices but still hold together.

Step 4

Arrange them flat side down on the batter. Scatter over the raisins and sprinkle with the vanilla sugar and cinnamon. Bake in the centre of the oven for 35-45 minutes, until golden on top and a skewer comes out clean.

Step 5

Cool in the dish or tin. I tend to slice it straight from the dish, but if you have baked it in a tin, you can remove it once cooled.

Step 6

Swap the apples for pears, or scatter some raspberries on to the cake batter before baking and omit the raisins.