Quick Apple Cake

I had a friend stopping by yesterday and I wanted to make something quick, simple and not too heavy for afternoon tea.

Additionally we had quite a lot of apples that really needed to be used up so I decided on an easy Apple cake. This recipe is from Stephanie Alexander's, The Cook's Companion. If I could only own one cookbook this would probably be the one I would keep.

It really is a beautiful book. After basic techniques and explanations on a variety of things from custard to pastry to stock  it then runs through ingredients alphabetically providing a range or techniques and recipes to use them. It's very comprehensive and while it looks a but intimidating many of the recipes such as this one are actually very simple.

I followed her recipe entirely except I used vanilla vodka where she recommended apple brandy or rum.

Quick Apple Cake
2 cups peeled chopped apples
2 tablespoons apple brandy, brandy or rum (I used vanilla vodka)
140g unsalted butter (I used salted because that's what I had)
160g plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 eggs
120g castor sugar

1. Soak fruit in alcohol for 1/2 an hour. (I think you could soak in apple juice).
2. Preheat oven to 200C. Butter a 24cm ring tin or 24cm round cake tin.
3. Melt butter and allow to cool.
4. Beat eggs and butter until thick and fluffy, fold in flour gently.
5. Drizzle in melted butter then fold in. Fold in apple and any liquid.
6. Spoon into cake tin and cook for 40 minutes.

Enjoy!