Butterscotch apple spice cake

1.Preheat oven to 170C. For butterscotch sauce, combine caster sugar and 125ml of water in a small saucepan and stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Cook, while brushing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals forming, until dark caramel in colour (10-12 minutes). Remove from heat, add 25ml cream and 20gm butter (be careful, mixture will spit) and swirl to combine. Pour half into the base of a greased 18cm x 23cm cake pan. Place apple slices, overlapping slightly, onto butterscotch, and set aside. Return remaining caramel mixture to heat, add remaining cream and butter and cook until combined (2-3 minutes). Set aside and keep warm.

2.Sieve together flour, cornflour, baking powder and spices into the bowl of an electric mixer, add sugar and mix to combine. With mixer on low speed, add butter and mix until just combined. Meanwhile, whisk together milk, eggs and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Add one third of milk mixture to mixer and beat until just combined. Repeat process twice with remaining mixture. Spoon over butterscotch apples, smooth top and bake until golden and firm to the touch (70-80 minutes), then turn onto a wire rack. Serve immediately with remaining butterscotch sauce.