KEY POINTS:
250g butter
1 cup caster sugar
3 cups plain flour
6 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground nutmeg
4 eggs
3 Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 cup hazelnuts (or almonds), roasted
1 cup currants
2 Tbs brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing
1 cup icing sugar
3 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp softened butter
2 Tbs boiling water, approx.
1 Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a 22cm cake tin. In a large bowl put the butter, the first measure of sugar, the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and eggs then beat with electric beaters. As soon as the mixture is smooth, stop.
2 In a second bowl combine the apples, zest, nuts, currants, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.
3 Spoon half of the batter into the tin then top with half of the apple mixture. Spoon the remaining batter over the apples then finish with the remaining apple mix. Push the apple slices lightly into the mixture then bake for 1 hour or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
4 Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, add the lemon juice and butter and mix to a thin consistency with the boiling water. Drizzle over the cake before serving.