Apple Teacake

Nothing beats home-baked apple teacake with a cup of tea or coffee. Geoff Jansz used Golden Delicious apples for this recipe, because they are sweet and hold their shape when cooked.

You’ll need2 x 23cm springform cake tins, lined with baking paper and lightly greased

Ingredients
(makes 2 tea cakes)

• 250g butter
• 250g caster sugar
• 8 Golden Delicious apples
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 250g self-raising flour
• 4 tablespoon slivered almonds
• 6 tablespoon caster sugar, extra

Method

1. Melt the butter and caster sugar by placing in a microwave-safe bowl, then microwaving on HIGH for 2 minutes. Set aside.
2. Peel, core and slice apples, then place in a microwave-safe bowl, add water and cover with clingwrap. (Tip: Geoff recommends using a melon baller to remove the apple cores and stalks.) Piece several holes in the clingwrap, then microwave on HIGH for 12 minutes. Carefully remove the clingwrap and tip the apples into a colander to drain excess moisture. Set aside.
3. Put the butter mixture into the bowl of a mixer and aerate for 1 minute on medium speed. Add the eggs one at a time and mix on low speed. Add vanilla essence and mix through.
4. Sift the self-raising flour into the bowl and gently fold through until the batter is smooth.
5. Divide half the batter between the 2 cake tins and smooth it out with a spatula. Top each with half the apple, half the slivered almonds, and sprinkle each with half the extra caster sugar.
6. Bake in a preheated 160°C oven for 20 minutes, then increase the temperature to 185°C and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until the cakes are brown on the top. The cakes are cooked when a skewer comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Further information

Melon ballers cost from $7 to $20 at kitchen retail stores.

Copyright 2003 CTC Productions