This delicious apple cake is also very good served hot as a pudding.  It is very light and moist as it contains just enough batter to hold the cake together. It is topped with crushed amaretti (Italian macaroons) – which gives the cake a delicious flavour and texture.   

Serves 4-6

500g cooking apples
50g flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
75g sugar
50g butter, melted
l egg   
grated  rind of l/2 organic lemon
100ml milk
5 amaretti (about 50 g),  crushed   

Preheat the oven to 160º C/ 325 F/ Gas Mark 3
Peel and slice the apples thinly. Place the flour, baking powder, 50g sugar, melted butter and lemon rind in a bowl. Add the milk and blend well. The batter should be fairly thin. Pour into a well buttered 25 cm glass or ceramic pie dish and arrange the apples over the top. Dust with the remaining sugar and sprinkle with amaretti.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Halfway through cooking place a sheet of foil over the cake to prevent it browning too much.   The cake is cooked when a sharp knife comes out clean from the centre. Serve hot or cold.

From Mediterranean Vegetarian Cooking by Paola Gavin, John Blake Publishing Ltd

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