Apple Tea Cake

Autumn just around the corner, and Apples are in season.  I know that Apple Pies are an old time favourite but with the limited time everybody  has the days,  I find this cake a good alternative using just a fraction of the time to prepare.  It taste wonderful and it is very easy to cut and serve.  It keeps well if refregerated for 3-4 days.  Serve it cold or warm and custard or vanilla ice cream are very good accompaniments.  Don't forget to make some tea!

1kg cooking Apples
5 cloves
1/2 lemon
800g Self Raising Flour
300g sugar
450g plain yoghurt
250g butter
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
few drops vanilla essence
6 eggs

Peel  apples and cut roughly into chunks add to a medium pan then cover with water, squeeze the half a lemon over and then add to squeezed lemon to apples, add cloves cover and bring to boil.  Simmer for 15minutes then turn off heat and drain.  Transfer apples to a clean bowl, make sure that you remove the cloves and lemon, then break slightly using a fork and leave to cool completely.

Butter a lamington dish and pre heat the oven to 180c.

Sift the flour and baking powder. Cut butter into small cubes then put them in a food processor fitted with blade.  Pulse for a few times till butter crumbles in the flour.  Add sugar, eggs, yoghurt, milk and vanilla essence, and process till a smooth cake mixture is formed.  Layer half the mixture in the prepared lamington dish, then top evenly with cooked apples. Dust a cinamon powder all over and cover with the remaining cake mix.  Even out with a spatula and bake for 35 to 40minutes till golden and a skewer comes clean when inserted in the middle.  Turn over to cool on a wire rack.  Serve with ice cream or warm custard sauce.