Somerset Pomona Apple Almond Cake Food

SOMERSET POMONA, APPLE & ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line the base and sides of a 20cm round cake tin. Peel, core and slice the apples to about the thickness of a £1 coin. Melt the knob of butter in a large frying pan then tip in the apples. Cook over a medium heat, stirring every so often till softened, but not soggy, about 5 mins. Splash in the Pomona and leave to cool. Tip onto a plate to cool more quickly if you like.
• Using an electric whisk or wooden spoon, beat the softened butter and sugar until creamy and light. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating after each addition, then fold in the flour and almonds. Finally, fold in half of the cooled apples. Spoon the mix into the prepared tin, smooth the top and scatter with the rest of the apples, pressing down lightly into the batter.
• Bake for 1 hr, until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Check the cake after 45 mins, cover with foil if it's browning too quickly. To make the glaze, warm the jam and Pomona in a small pan until the jam melts.
• Once the cake is out of the oven, prick it all over with a skewer and drizzle over a little more Pomona. Cool for 10 mins, then turn out of the tin and transfer to a wire rack. Brush the glaze over the apples and serve sliced, with dollops of Pomona cream. Best eaten on the day it's made, or warmed through the next.

APPLE ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Grease a 9" springform pan and set aside.
• Peel, quarter and core the apples.
• Cut each quarter into 3 pieces to make 36 wedges; set aside.
• Make the topping by stirring together the sliced almonds, sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, butter and almond extract.
• Pour over the dry ingredients and stir just enough to blend the wet into the dry.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
• Arrange the apple wedges attractively over the batter, making a wider outer circles and a smaller inner circle; set aside.
• Sprinkle the almond topping mixture over the apples.
• Bake in the center of a 350 degree F oven until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour.
• Let cool on a rack.
• Release the side of the pan and serve with whipped cream.