9-11 REMEMBRANCE CAKE

"There's rosemary; that's for remembrance. Pray, love, remember." Shakespeare, Hamlet
Ingredients
1 Empire or Granny Smith apple

1 small sprig and 1 long sprig rosemary
1 teaspoon sugar
Juice and zest of ½ lemon
1 teaspoon butter

For the cake batter
2 tbs butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

Peel, core and roughly chop the apple and put into a saucepan with the small spig of rosemary, the teaspoon of sugar, the lemon zest and juice, and butter. Cover the pan and cook on a low heat for 4-8 minutes until the apple is soft. Leave to cool, and fish out the rosemary sprig when it is cold.

Preheat the oven 350.Butter and line the bottom of  a loaf pan with baking parchment.

Put the cooled apple into a food processor and puree. Then add the butter,  sugar, eggs, flour and baking powder and process to a smooth batter. Spoon and scrape into the loaf tin and smooth the top. Sprinkle the surface with the remaining tablespoon of sugar and then lay the long sprig of rosemary along the centre of the cake. On baking, the rosemary sheds its oil to leave a scented path down the middle of the cake.

Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean, then leave to cool on a rack. Slip the paper-lined cake out of the tin once it is cool.