Granny’s Honey and Apple Cake

Recipe by Mary Case, bee-keeper, Limerstone, Isle of Wight

From The Really Quite Good British Cookbook, images copyright © Lizzie Mayson, recipe copyright © Mary Case

What do you cook for the people you love? Asked this question, 100 of Britain’s food heroes have shared their most beloved recipes to make this extraordinary cookbook. A delicious recipe featured in the book, Mary Case is a local producer of honey and this is one of her favourite baking recipes using honey.

SERVINGS: 8–12 | PREP TIME: 20 MINS | COOK TIME: 40–50 MINS | SKILL LEVEL: 1 (EASY)

INGREDIENTS

225 g (½ lb) soft margarine, plus extra for greasing

4 cooking apples, peeled, cored and thickly sliced

80 g (2½ oz) plus extra to drizzle clear honey, we have used Ogilvy’s Raw British Wildflower

3 heaped tsp ground cinnamon

225 g (½ lb) caster sugar

275 g (10 oz) self-raising flour

2 level tsp baking powder

4 eggs

METHOD

Pre-heat oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Grease a 25 cm x 35 cm (10 in x 14 in) baking tin and line with baking paper.

Make the topping first. Put sliced apples in a bowl, then add honey and cinnamon and mix until apples are well coated. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat margarine, sugar, flour, baking powder and eggs for 2 minutes on full speed. Pour into prepared tin, then lay the honey- and cinnamon-covered apple slices in rows on top of the batter.

Bake on a baking sheet for 40–50 minutes or until golden and cooked through – test this by prodding the cake with a skewer: if it comes out clean, it’s ready. Cover with tinfoil if the top is getting too brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in its tin. Once cool, carefully lift out, remove the paper and place on a cooling rack. Slice before or after you do this, and drizzle generously with honey.