Sticky Toffee Apple Bonfire Cake

It wasn't my aim for this cake to match the leaves on the drive, but I think it's a beautiful comparison. When I was baking all I could think about was the taste of toffee apples and the smell in the air after Bonfire Night (I hope you're thinking about it now too).

It's deceptively simple, and because of the way the toffee is baked in the oven it won't break your teeth either. You just get that beautifully sweet, rich taste with chewier bits around the edges. You heat up some sugar and water then pour the glistening toffee over greaseproof paper in a round tin. It sets quickly - by the time you've made up the cake mix and sliced the apples it'll be cool enough to use.

You can arrange the apple slices however you like, I went for something traditional but I was thinking about it afterwards, and you could probably make some nice images and patterns. The cake mix is thick and honey coloured, and fills the cake tin right to the top.

While the cake is in the oven the toffee melts, turning the apples the colour of autumn leaves and caramelising the top of the cake. I can't stop looking at the shine of the toffee on the apple slice below!

Luckily, this can be whipped up in no time, so there's still time to get on the table for the 5th

Toffee
200g Caster Sugar
3 Tbsp Water
2 Large Apples

Cake
225g Salted Butter
150g Light Brown Sugar
75g Caster Sugar
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
4 Eggs
225g Self Raising Flour
1/2 Tsp bicarbonate of soda
60ml Milk

1. Grease your baking tin and line with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 180C or Gas Mark 4
2. For the toffee, put the caster sugar and the water in a pan and heat on high, making sure NOT to stir at any point.
3. When the sugar has melted and is golden remove from the heat and pour into your prepared tin.
4. Slice your apples and arrange them on top of the toffee.
5. For the cake mix the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
6. Sift the flour and the bicarb in, and then fold the mixture together.
7. Add the milk.
8. Place the cake tin on a baking tray to catch any melted topping, then bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
9. Immediately flip out, watching out for any burning topping (I needed that advice and didn't get it. Sadface.) and leave to cool. Serve with extra thick cream for a little added indulgence.

Caramel Apple Traybake

I've got an oven!!! I know this is a fairly standard piece of kitchen equipment, but when I moved in, back in August, the oven was ripped out and I was left with a gaping hole in my kitchen. Actually, more accurately, I was left with no kitchen - the whole thing was ripped out, and new pieces are slowly being put in, as and when there's a free weekend.

Now it's finally starting to look like a kitchen, I jumped at the chance to do some Autumn baking. The leaves on the trees are starting to turn, and the air is just that little bit crisper. High time for the flavours of Autumn to come out to play. So without further ado, I give you Caramel Apple Traybake, with a crumbly, biscuity (slightly burnt, thanks new oven) topping. I used a muffin recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction, every so slightly modified, and then poured a standard caramel sauce recipe over the top. Just to make it extra naughty and extra delicious.

Apple Traybake

Topping
140g Light Brown Sugar
25g Granulated Sugar
120g Melted Unsalted Butter
170g Plain Flour

1. Mix the sugars with the melted butter.
2. Stir in the flour to form a thick, crumbly, uhm.... crumb! Then set aside.

Cake
115g Unsalted Butter
100g Light Brown Sugar
50g Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs
120g Greek Yoghurt
220g Plain Flour
2tsp Baking Powder
60ml Milk
2 Apples chopped into chunks (when weighed, mine were around 250g)

1. Combine the butter and sugars.
2. Add the two eggs, followed by the yoghurt.
3. Fold in the flour and baking powder.
4. Gradually add the milk.
5. Fold in the chopped apples.

- Pop the mix into a lined tray, then spread the topping over the mix.
- Bake at 200 degrees for around 40 mins. Keep an eye on the topping, you might need to cover the bake with tinfoil halfway through to stop it from catching!

Caramel Sauce
200g Granulated Sugar
90g Salted Butter
120ml of Double Cream

1. Heat the sugar in a pan, stirring all the time until it forms clumps, then melts down into an amber liquid.
2. As soon as you have the liquid, add the butter - it'll splash everywhere, so watch out!
3. Once the butter melts, add the double cream, stirring alllll the time. Once again, watch out, because there will be lots of bubbling.
4. Let it bubble for about a minute, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.
5. Put half in a piping bag and top your traybake. The rest will last in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of weeks, but you'll to warm it up for a few seconds in the microwave to use it.