Somerset Apple Cake (Tamasin Day Lewis)

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas 3. Grease a 20cm springform cake tin and line the base with a circle of greaseproof paper.

2. Soak the sultanas in the cider for about 20 minutes.

3. Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a bowl.

4. Cream the sugar and butter for about 5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating as you go.

5. Fold in the dry ingredients, the lemon zest and the sliced apples.

6. Stir in the soaked sultanas, along with any remaining cider.

7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

8. Cool in the tin, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

9. If you are serving the cake as a pudding, loosely cover it with kitchen foil and reheat in a warm oven. Serve with crème fraîche laced with a little Calvados or Somerset cider brandy if you fancy it.