This fruit-filled cake is delicious warm. If it doesn’t disappear at once, it will keep for several days wrapped in foil ready for unexpected guests or to double up as dessert. While it waits, the crunchy topping will become fudgy and gooey as it melts into the apples and cake underneath.

Method:

• Heat your oven to 180°C and grease and line the base of a 20cm x 20cm Pyrex dish or foil tray.

• Beat the eggs and 100g sugar for approximately 5 minutes until pale and thick and the beaters leave a ribbon on the surface.

• Meanwhile peel, core and quarter the apples and slice into 2-3 mm slices.

• Mix the pecans, almonds, remaining sugar and spices together until well combined.

• Gently fold the sifted matzah meal and baking powder into the egg mixture along with the oil to make the batter.

• Spread half the batter into the prepared dish or tray and sprinkle over about 1/3 of the nut mix.

• Scatter over the raisins (if using) and lemon zest and then top with a layer of overlapping apple slices.

• Spread the rest of the batter over the surface; you may need to use two spatulas as it is quite a thick mixture and will need coaxing into the corners.

• Top with another layer of overlapping apples before scattering the rest of the nut mix over the top.

• Bake for 35-45 minutes, checking after 20 minutes as the topping browns quickly and may need to be lightly covered with foil or baking parchment.

• Louismann