Apple Cake with Drunk Currants

Serves: 8
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ready In: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
2 sticks (250g) butter, softened
½ cup (100g) molasses or dark brown sugar
2–3 apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly
¾ cup (150g) soft light brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups (250g) self-raising flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground allspice
½ cup crème fraîche, to serve
½ cup (100g) bakers (caster) sugar
¾ cup (150ml) dark rum
½ cup (100g) currants

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 20cm/8in diameter cake tin with a little bit of butter.

2. Melt 4 tbsp of the butter in a small saucepan, add the molasses sugar and stir until dissolved. Gently simmer until rich and dark, then tip into the cake tin and distribute evenly. Arrange the apple slices on top.

3. Beat the light brown sugar and the remaining butter together until light and fluffy and then beat in the eggs, a little at a time to avoid the mixture splitting.

4. Fold in the flour about a third at a time. Then add the spices and spread the mixture evenly over the apples. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until springy to the touch and a knife can be pushed in and removed cleanly. Leave to cool in the tin if you have prepared it in advance, or serve immediately. If you have prepared it in advance, gently warm the cake in a low oven for 10 minutes before serving, if desired.

5. For the boozy currants, mix the caster sugar and rum in a small pan, add the currants and simmer gently for 10 minutes, then set aside.

6. To serve, turn the cake out onto a plate, slice and serve with a blob of crème fraîche and a spoonful of currants.