Dirty Apple and Almond Upside Down Cake

There's nothing like being struck down with an alien supervirus to bring on the blues and that's exactly how I've felt for the last week or two. Stricken with such an affliction I had to suspend my cake adventures, but now I'm back on the baking bandwagon I could not be happier. To celebrate the event I've come up with this DIRTY AND BOOZY upside down cake using apples, almonds and amaretto liqueur. It is as naughty as it is delicious, so I can think of no finer recipe to announce my return!

Prep time: 25 Mins
Baking time: 55-60 Mins
For the Amaretto Glaze
50g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
100g Demerara Sugar
1tbsp Golden Syrup
A good splash of Amaretto (Or Brandy if you'd prefer)
1tsp of Vanilla Extract

For the Cake
200g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
200g Golden Caster Sugar
3 Large Eggs
1/2tsp Almond Extract
1tsp Mixed Spice
100g Ground Almonds
100g Plain Flour
1tsp Baking Powder
3 Good Sized Dessert Apples (Peeled and cored)
A handful of Flaked Almonds

Let's begin. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4, grease a 21cm square baking tin and line the base with baking paper. Then it's straight on to the glaze! In a medium mixing bowl cream together the butter and demerara sugar then mix through the golden syrup, amaretto and vanilla. Set to one side whilst you prepare the cake mixture.

In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and the sugar, then beat in the eggs one at a time along with the almond extract and spice. Fold through the ground almonds, then sift in the flour and baking powder and mix to a smooth, consistent batter. Grate in one of the apples and fold through, then you are ready set this bad boy up for baking.

Spread the glaze mixture evenly over the base of the tin and sprinkle with flaked almonds. Thinly slice the remaining apples and lay on top of the glaze, then spoon over the cake mixture and even to the edges. Bake in the centre of the oven for around 55-60 minutes, until a metal skewer comes out cleanly when inserted into the middle of the cake. When you are happy the cake is baked remove from the oven, leave in the tin for around 30 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack. Leave to cool completely then slice and serve. All done!