Recipe: Apple of your eye!

Upside Down Apple Cake with Star Anise
50g butter
50g golden caster sugar
3 whole star anise
3 to 4 crisp Granny Smith apples
100g unsalted butter
100g dark soft brown sugar
100g self-rising flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 free range eggs
Zest of 1 lemon grated
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
- Melt the butter and caster sugar together in a pan with the star anise until the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour into a buttered spring form tin; place a star anise in each thirds of the tin, evenly distant from each other.
- Peel and core the apples, halve and thinly slice.
- Arrange the apples on the base of the tin curved side (skin side) down, in concentric circles.
- Fill the base with apples, allowing a thick layer.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger and cinnamon.
- Next, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.
- Finally, fold in the sifted dry ingredients.
- Spoon this mixture carefully onto the apples spreading gently.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until cooked through.
- Leave to cool for 5 to 10 minutes then turn out onto a flat tray to cool.
- Serve the dessert warm with cream or ice cream.
- You can email Mercy Fenton at mercy@wickeddesserts.ie