This fragrant apple custard cake will win over the whole family, served as dessert with thick cream or ice-cream.
1 cup milk
3 large egg yolks
55g castor sugar
30g plain flour
2 tsp vanilla extract
200g soft butter
110g castor sugar
2 eggs
225g self-raising flour, sifted
2 small unpeeled apples, cored and thinly sliced (about 140g each)
1 tbsp butter, melted
2 tsp castor sugar, extra
1 tsp fragrant sweet spices*
*A blend of coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, blue poppy seeds, cloves, cardamom and rose petals available from Macro Wholefoods Market, 1068 High Street, Armadale, 9947 1111
For the custard
Place milk in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a small bowl until thick then add flour and whisk until smooth. Pour hot milk onto egg yolk mixture and stir until smooth. Return mixture to saucepan and stir over low heat until mixture comes to the boil. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until thick then remove from heat, stir in vanilla and chill, covered in the fridge.
For the cake
Pre-heat oven to 180C.
Combine butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Fold in flour.
Spread half the mixture into a 22cm greased and base-lined cake tin, add custard and smooth with a spatula.
Add spoonfuls of remaining cake mix and spread carefully with a spatula to cover custard.
Arrange apples on top of cake mixture and brush with melted butter. Combine sweet spice mix with extra castor sugar and sprinkle over apples.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool in pan before turning out.
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