Apple Cake With a Sweet Glaze

Gwen from church, is in her 90's knows I love to bake, she saved me this recipe from a magazine. I regularly drop off goodies to her house as a thank you, due to arthritis in her fingers she is unable to bake for herself. I have altered this for my own families tastes and keeping it here for safe keeping - small pieces of paper and I are not a good mix! A rich apple cake with a sweet glaze, perfect for apple season.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 4 -6  granny smith apples, peeled and cored (800g)
• 100  g butter, chopped
• 100  g golden syrup
• 1 3⁄4 cups caster sugar
• 100  g butter, extra (diced and room temp.)
• 1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  grated lemon zest
• 2  teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1  teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3  eggs
• 3  cups self raising flour
• 1  cup milk or 1  cup  apple juice

Directions

1. Chop the apples into small chunks (not tiny pieces).
2. Heat the butter and syrup in a sauce pan - allow butter to melt and bubbling at the sides on a LOW heat. Add the apples and increase heat to medium for 8-10 minutes until the apples are halfway cooked and golden - set aside to cool (about 20 minutes).
3. In a bowl beat the sugar, extra butter oil, lemon zest, spices and vanilla - beat until thick and creamy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time until well combined. Sift the flour, add the milk and fold through the butter mix together with a large spoon.
5. Spoon half the cake batter into a well greased bunt tin. Top with the apples - but no syrup (this will be our glaze later).
6. Top with the remaining cake mixture and bake for 35-45 minutes (or until cooked when tested with a skewer).
7. Once cooked, cool briefly and pour the glaze over the cake. Let the cake cool until the glaze has been absorbed (about 20 minutes).
8. Remove from the pan and serve warm OR cold with cream.