Apple picking

Apple season is fast approaching and I'm lucky to have a fabulous apple tree in my garden. In previous years, we've been a bit lazy and not done much with them but this year I'm determined to use them in lots of different ways.

So yesterday, I was out picking my first batch:

and decided to make an apple & cinnamon cake using a Mary Berry recipe:

Recipe:

Apple and Cinnamon Cake

Ingredients:
225 g soft margarine
225 g light muscovado sugar
3 medium eggs
100 g walnut pieces, chopped
100 g sultanas
225 g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
400 g cooking apples, peeled, cored and grated
1 tsp ground cinnamon
light muscovado sugar for sprinkling
extra chopped walnuts for sprinkling (optional)
icing sugar for dusting (optional)

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Lightly grease and base line a 9 inch (23 cm) deep round cake tin with greased greaseproof paper.
2) Measure the margarine, sugar, eggs, chopped walnuts, sultanas, flour and baking powder into a large bowl and beat well for about 2 minutes until thoroughly blended.
3) Spoon half the mixture into the prepared tin then spread the grated apple and ground cinnamon in an even layer on top.
4) Spread the remaining cake mixture on top, level the surface then sprinkle generously with light muscovado sugar and walnuts.
5) Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours or until the cake is well risen and golden brown.
6) Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out and leaving to cool completely on a wire rack.
7) Dust with icing sugar to serve.