Toffee Apple Cake!

Oh my goodness... I have been searching the internet for the perfect toffee apple cake and couldn't find what I wanted. So this is a combination of about 4 different recipes... and it's delicious!! I have never eaten a piece of cake so fast. Perfect for Autumn and Halloween, this cake will really impress. It's a combination between sticky toffee pudding and a toffee apple. Gooey in the middle, caramelized on the outside, with a sticky toffee drizzle. I really hope you enjoy it too, it's worth the effort.

Ingredients
makes 8 slices  

For the Cake
150g dates, chopped finely
150ml milk
3 eating apples
125g soft dark brown sugar
175g unsalted butter
175g golden caster sugar
3 eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
200g self raising flour
1tsp baking powder
½tsp fine sea salt
1tsp mixed spice

For the Topping
200g bag of toffees (such as dairy toffees)
tbsp milk
tbsp butter

Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease and base line 3x20cm round cake tins (if using larger tins, use two layers instead of three).

Start by plumping up the dates - put the chopped dates in a small saucepan with the milk and bring gently to the boil. Leave to cool in the pan.

Peel, quarter and core the apples, then slice thinly. Put the brown sugar in a bowl, add the apples and toss until well coated. Lay the apples out in concentric circles in the base of each of the tins.

Now make the cake mixture. Cream together the butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla. Sift in the flour, baking powder, salt and mixed spice. Mix gently until well incorporated. Fold in the dates.

Split the mixture equally between the tins. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top and a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave in the tins for 5 minutes before carefully turning out to cool.

Whilst the cakes are cooling, make the topping. Put the toffees, milk & butter in a small pan and melt gently until smooth. Use the toffee to sandwich the layers together, then drizzle it over the top. Voila.

Tip: I use this handy Stainless Steel Cake Lifter for transferring delicate layer cakes.