Here in the UK we are about to enjoy Apple Day, an annual festival celebrating all things with apples. Wherever you are, in my book Autumn ( Fall to our friends in USA) calls for apple recipes. This is an absolutely fail-safe recipe, quick, easy, delicious. I was given it by the late Noelle Lafarge, of the Volnay wine domain. Their wines are great - so is this cake!
FOR 8 PEOPLE
180 g (6 oz) sugar 3 eggs 250g (8 oz) plain flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 tablespoon oil (or equivalent of melted butter)
500 g (1 lb) dessert apples
Preheat the oven to gas mark 7, 425°F, 220°C.
Beat the sugar and eggs together until pale. Sieve the flour and baking powder together, then stir into the egg mixture. Lastly, stir in the oil or melted butter.
Peel and core the apples. Cut into chunks. Incorporate them into the batter. Turn into a bottom-lined and greased 25 cm (10 in) cake tin with a removable base and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.
Serve warm with crème fraîche.