Cinnamon Apple Traybake

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 250g plain flour
• 100ml milk
• 150g light brown sugar
• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 50g rolled oats
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 50g demerara sugar
• 450g apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 30g flaked almonds (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/Gas 4 and line a 23 x 33cm traybake tin with baking paper, leaving a little overhang so you can lift the whole thing out cleanly later.
2. Beat the softened butter and light brown sugar in a large bowl for a full 3–4 minutes until pale, fluffy and noticeably lighter in colour — this is where the sponge gets its lift, so don't shortcut it. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each, then stir in the vanilla.
3. Sift in the flour, baking powder and a pinch of fine salt, and fold through gently, adding the milk in a steady stream until you have a smooth, glossy dropping batter that falls reluctantly off the spoon. The salt is small but non-negotiable — it sharpens the brown sugar and stops the sponge tasting flat.
4. Spread the batter into the prepared tin with a spatula, pushing it right into the corners and levelling the top. Taste a smear from the bowl — it should taste sweet but rounded, not cloying; if it's flat, you're short on salt.
5. Toss the sliced apples with the cinnamon and nutmeg until every slice is dusted, then arrange them across the batter in a single overlapping layer like roof tiles. Sprinkle over the extra tablespoon of brown sugar.
6. Stir the oats, demerara sugar and flaked almonds together and scatter generously over the apples — leave it craggy and uneven, because the proud bits are what go amber and crunch.
7. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the sponge is deeply golden, the streusel is crisp and amber, and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. The apples should be tender and starting to caramelise at the edges, the kitchen smelling of warm cinnamon and brown butter.
8. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes so the sponge sets and the crumb firms up — cut too soon and it'll tear. Lift out using the paper overhang, transfer to a wire rack, cut into 12 generous squares, dust with icing sugar and serve warm with custard poured around the edges or a dollop of soured cream on the side.