Apple and almond cake

I make no excuse for another cake using ground almonds as the flour substitute, this is a recipe I spotted initially being tweeted by Nigella (she of soft focus fame), no sooner had I followed the link to her website that I then saw another food blogger with a similar post. I now know why this recipe is so popular, it tastes so buttery and is moist with a subtle apple flavour. Just like Nigella's famous clementine cake its an easy bake which when combined with its fairly plain looks belies its deliciousness.

Ideal as a gluten free adult birthday cake and apparently a traditional "Seder" treat (Seder being the ritual feast at the start of Passover) why not give this bake a try.

What you need

• 3 eating apples (ones with plenty of flavour)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• Oil spray for the cake tin
• 8 eggs 
• 325g ground almonds
• 275g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 50g flaked almonds
• Icing sugar for dusting 

What you do

• Firstly we need to make an apple puree, place the peeled, cored apple chunks in a sauce pan with 2tsp caster sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice, simmer for about 10 minutes until soft and the apples make a rough puree.
• Allow this to cool fully before starting to bake
• Preheat the oven to 180c and oil spray a round loose bottom ( base lined) or spring form cake tin, approximately 9 inch diameter
• In a food processor blend the eggs, puree, sugar and lemon juice until you have a smooth mixture
• Pour into the prepared tin and sprinkle the top with flaked almonds
• Bake for 45 minutes or so until golden and the cake tests cooked.
• Cool in the tin initially and then cool fully on a wire rack
• To serve sprinkle with icing sugar, it needs nothing more.