Maple Sticky Toffee Apple Cake by Martha Collison

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160^oC and grease and line 3x 18cm tins with baking parchment. To make the sponge, heat the butter, sugar and maple syrup together in a large saucepan, stirring until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved.

2. Pour and whisk the milk into the saucepan with the hot mixture, allow to cool to room temperature and then beat in the eggs until well combined. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda together into the saucepan and whisk together until smooth. Fold through the chopped dates.

3. Slice the apples into thin wedges. Pour the mixture into the tins and arrange the slices of apple in a circular pattern on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until firm and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool briefly in the tins before transferring to a wire to cool completely.

4. Whilst the cakes are baking, make the buttercream. Put the butter into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and beat briefly to soften. Add the icing sugar in a few batches, making sure all the sugar is well incorporated into the mix before adding more. Beat for 5-10 minutes until really light and fluffy, then add the salt and the syrup and beat for a few more minutes.

5. Once the cake has completely cooled, sandwich the cake with the buttercream and drizzle maple syrup over the top, using a pastry brush to properly glaze the fruit.