Apple, date and honey cake
Serves 8 to 10
 

 
200 g butter
120 g almond meal
80 g plain flour
10 dried dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
6 egg whites
220 g caster sugar
30 g flaked almonds
4 tablespoons honey

Caramel apples
60 g caster sugar
2 tablespoons honey
30 g butter, chopped into cubes
3 large red apples, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges
 

Preheat the oven to 170°C.  Spray a 24cm springform cake tin with non-stick oil and line the base with baking paper.  Spray the paper with oil.

To make the caramel apples, put the sugar and honey in a large frying pan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture forms a golden caramel - this will take about 8 to 10 minutes.  Add the butter and stir until melted.  Add the apple wedges and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the apples are golden and the sugar syrup is sticky.  Stir the apples only once or twice during cooking so they don't break up.  Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Heat the butter in a separate frying pan over medium heat and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until melted and golden brown.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

Put the almond meal, flour and dates in a bowl.  Stir until the dates have separated and are evenly coated in the almond meal and flour.

Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.  Gradually add the sugar and whisk until medium peaks form, about 5 minutes.

Gently pour the browned butter over the date mixture and stir to combine, then fold in the egg white mixture.  

Pour the batter into the prepared tin.  Arrange the cooked apple wedges on top, trying not to add any excess liquid (reserve the liquid to drizzle over the cooked cake).  Scatter the flaked almonds over the apple and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cake is golden and cooked through.  Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 20 minutes.

Drizzle the honey or reserved caramel over the cake and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes: you can use the leftover liquid from the caramel apples to drizzle over the cook cake instead of using honey.  And this cake can be make into a slice by cooking it in a 20x30cm cake tin.