Introduction

Hello everybody! I was so very happy that Michelle Vardy, our Facebook group member who lives in south Vendée, volunteered one of her amazing cake recipes for our Recipe Corner! Here's what Michelle wanted you to know: This is a well tried and trusted recipe which I used for my Cafe and guest House in Devon.  It was a very popular cake and was often in the cake display. It can be served cold or warm but it is best with Devonshire clotted cream, or Cornish if you're that way inclined, normal whipped cream, ice cream, custard or naked as the day it came out the oven. Enjoy!

For 8 - 10 people

• ​​Lightly grease and line the base and side of a 20cm/8inch round cake tin with greaseproof paper (baking parchment).
  
• Preheat the oven to 170C, 325F, Gas mark 3.
• Sift the flour cloves and cinnamon into a mixing bowl.
• Cut butter into small pieces and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Stir in the caster sugar (superfine). 
• Pour in the beaten eggs and mix together with a wooden spoon then beat until soft and smooth.
• Peel core and chop the apples and add to the mixture stirring well to coat the apple pieces.
• Turn the mixture into the cake tin and smooth the top.
• Place in the preheated oven to bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours until the cake is well risen and springs back when pressed in the center.
• Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Turn out, remove the paper and place cake on a wire rack.  
• Sprinkle the top with granulated sugar if you wish.