I use a 23cm round tin for this but you could squeeze it into 20cm. It makes enough cake for about 8 people. You can easily make a half batch if you need a smaller version.

Ingredients

For the topping:

• 3 gala or granny smith apples
• 200g caster sugar
• 3tbsp water

For the cake:

• 225g/8oz salted butter, softened
• 225g/8oz golden caster sugar
• 225g/8oz self-raising flour
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 4 free-range eggs, at room temperature
• 60ml/4 tbsp whole milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Method

• Grease your tin with butter and preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• Peel, core and slice your apples. Keep them in a bowl of cold water to stop them from browning.
• I like to mix up the cake batter at this point. So, beat the butter and sugar until smooth.
• Combine the flour and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl, and add it spoonfuls at a time with one egg at a time.
• Mix each time until all 4 eggs are in and all the flour is gone.
• Stir in the milk and vanilla.
• Leave this to one side.
• Put your 200g sugar and 3tbsp of water in a saucepan and get it on a medium to high heat. Let the sugar melt and watch it bubble until it turns a nice amber/golden colour. DO NOT STIR IT AT ANY POINT. If you’ve used golden caster sugar, you are looking for a slightly darker colour.
• Place the apples in  pretty pattern in the bottom of your tin and pour the caramel mixture over them. You will need to do this quite quickly as it will start to solidify soon after it’s taken off the heat. Be very careful because it will be dangerously hot.
• Now pour the cake mixture over the top and smooth it out.
• Bake for 40-50mins, checking occasionally with a toothpick until it comes out dry and clean from the centre of the cake.
• Take it out the oven once it’s done. Using oven gloves, place a cooling rack or a plate over the tin and quickly flip over, taking care not to burn yourself on any hot caramel that may leak from the tin. Remove from the tin and set aside to cool.