Ingredients
For the Cake:
1 Granny Smith apple (or ½ cup apple purée)
3 large Granny Smith apples, extra
3 cups self raising flour
1 teaspoon mixed spice
½ teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup firm butter (125g)
3 large eggs
½ cup light olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla essence

For the Sauce:
1 cup Canadian maple syrup - use a good quality one as you'll taste the difference!
½ cup pure cream
50g butter
good pinch of salt
ice cream


Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C and generously grease a 20cm (8 inch) spring form tin (or a cake tin with a central funnel). Dust with flour and set aside.

If you are using a fresh apple to make the purée, peel, core and chop the apple and simmer with 2 tablespoons water until very soft. Purée or fork mash the apple. Peel, core and dice the remaining three apples.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, mixed spice, nutmeg, sugar and salt. Rub the butter through with your fingertips until the fixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil and vanilla until smooth. Add the puréed apple and mix well. Using a wooden spoon, combine the flour mixture with the egg mixture, then fold in the diced apple pieces. Pour the batter into the prepared tin, then bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden and firm on top. Remove cake from the oven and allow to cool in the tin, then gently turn out.

For the syrup: Mix together the syrup, cream, butter and salt and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2 minutes then cool slightly. Serve the syrup spooned around the cake, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some pure cream.