This cake is delicious served with: raspberry coulis, vanilla icecream, crème fraiche...

Ingredients

225 butter

150g sugar

3 eggs

300g self-raising flour

2 tsp baking powder

Small dash of vanilla extract or vanilla pod

Small amount of lemon zest

1 tbsp lemon juice

Approx. 1 cup of lightly sautéed apple (granny smith works well with this recipe, leave the apple slightly chunkily cut so that when later cooked the cake has a less regular texture/taste)

sprigs rosemary

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 170C.

First lightly sautée the apple with a light scattering of caster sugar and butter with 2 sprigs rosemary (each approx. 10cm). Set aside, leaving the rosemary with the apple until just before using the apple with the recipe later.

Mix the butter and sugar either with a beater or wooden spoon. Gradually add the eggs, starting to add the flour (pre-mixed with baking powder once you’ve added in two eggs. Once you’ve finished adding the flour, use a spatula to mix the mixture. Add in a small amount of lemon zest, the tbsp lemon juice, and the vanilla.

Using the spatula, combine the now rosemary-sprigless apple with the mixture.

Prepare tins and scoop the mixture into these, lightly press a fresh ~10cm sprig of rosemary into the top of the mixture and lightly scatter a dash of caster sugar over the rosemary and cake. This will caramelise the ‘crust’ and the cake will rise around the rosemary in the most delightful way.

Cook until done in an oven set at 170C.