Apple crumble cake

We had to bring Carmela's birthday forward this year, as on her actual birthday we will be in Italy, where we won't know anyone. As a result, once again she will be having two birthdays. In addition to the customary chocolate cake, I decided to make an apple cake for the adults, as I had been gifted a bag of cooking apples. Having made this, I'm not sure why there aren't more crumble cakes.



Ingredients
For the cake
juice of 1 lemon
4 small cooking apples
1 tsp ground cinnamon
200g caster sugar
200g butter or margarine
200g self-raising flour
4 medium eggs

For the crumble
1 tsp ground cinnamon
50g caster sugar
50g butter or margarine
50g self-raising flour

Method Grease and line a springform tin, and set the oven to 180oC.Peel and core the apples, cut them into very thin slices, place in a bowl, just cover with cold water, and add the lemon juice.Mix all the crumble ingredients together, and rub gently with your fingertips until it has the texture of rough breadcrumbs.Put the remaining sugar (200g) and the eggs in a large bowl, and beat very thoroughly, until you can leave a trail on the surface of the mixture.Meanwhile, gently melt the butter or margarine, turning off the heat while there are still some solid lumps left in it, stir and leave to sit for a few minutes.Pour the melted butter or margarine into the sugar and egg mixture, sift in the remaining flour (200g) and fold into the mixture gently.Strain the apple pieces.Pour half of the mixture into the tin, then add a layer of apple slices, then add the rest of the mixture and another layer of slices. Top with the crumble mixture.Bake for 45 minutes.


Tease Me
The original recipe for this comes from the Waitrose site. My only concern when I came across it was that it implied that a lot of beating was required: 10 minutes with an electric mixer, no less, with dire warnings of the consequences of failing to obey this instruction. As I don't have an electric mixer at the moment, I had to do this by hand. I put "Tease Me" by Chaka Demus & Pliers, put on my fake Jamaican accent, got whisking, and in well under 10 minutes the mix was looking perfect. I know that some day my kids will forbid me to do this, and leave me muttering under my breath about "political correctness gone mad", but in the meantime:

Woman your love is like
Burning fire inna me soul,
Woman tease me
Till me lose control.