Henry’s Apple & Cinnamon Streusel Cake

Method

Step 1
Make the sponge. Heat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/325°F/Gas 3. Toss the apple pieces in the lemon juice and set aside. Sift the flour, baking powder and spices together into a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugars, vanilla, eggs, oil and yogurt. Slowly beat the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then stir in the apples and the pecans.

Step 2
Spoon the mixture into the tin, and bake for about 65–75 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the sponge comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 3
For the streusel topping, place both sugars, flour, butter and spices in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the pecans, then spread the mixture out on the lined baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, until golden. Allow to cool, then crumble it up and set aside.

Step 4
For the dried apple slices, reduce the oven temperature to 120°C/100°C fan/Gas ½. Very thinly slice the apples (with a mandolin if you have one) and place them in a bowl with the lemon juice and turn to coat (this will stop them from browning). Pat the apple slices dry with kitchen paper, then place them on the prepared baking sheet, dust them with the cinnamon and sugar and bake for about 40 minutes, until the edges curl up and they are slightly browned. Leave to cool on the baking sheet.

Step 5
Meanwhile, make the salted caramel drizzle. Heat together the sugar, butter, salt and cream in a small pan over a medium heat. Bring to the boil, cook for 2 minutes, until slightly thickened, then remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Beat in the icing sugar, then drizzle the mixture over the top of the cake, allowing it to flow down the grooves.

Step 6
Scatter over the streusel topping, then arrange the dried apple slices overlapping in a ring on top of the bundt. Dust with icing sugar to decorate, if you wish.