Cardamom is such a fragrant spice with an intense aromatic mint flavour that combines well with cinnamon and nutmeg. It is popular in baking around the world.

This cake blends lemon, cardamom, cinnammon and nutmeg and is topped with a spiced apple.

When using spices it is so nice to get the best flavour from them. Wherever possible freshly grinding your own spices will bring out the fullness of the flavours and enhance your cooking. I have also described the process for making your own ground cardamom below.

How to Make Freshly Ground Cardamom:

1. Take 1 tsp of cardamom pods and split the outer shell and remove the seeds to a bowl and discard the shells
2. Using a mortar and pestle, add the cardamom seeds removed from the pods and grind them till they are finely ground
3. The freshly ground cardamom is now ready to use. For the best flavour use the ground cardamom close to baking

Lemon, Apple and Cardamom Cake

Ingredients:

• 225 g of caster sugar
• 2 eggs (50 g each) plus one yolk (at room temperature)
• 225 g SR Cake flour (Lighthouse Cake, Sponge and Steamed Bun SR Flour), sifted
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 100 g butter, softened
• 160 ml milk
• the zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp Lemon Essence
• butter and 1/4 cup of fine breadcrumbs to prepare the cake pan

Topping:

• 1 apple, Granny Smith or other variety, cored, peeled and sliced to 1 cm thickness
• 1/4 cup of raw sugar
• 1/8 tsp cardamom, freshly ground
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160º C Fan Forced
2. Butter a 20 cm x 5 cm round cake pan then sprinkle fine bread crumbs into the pan and then rotate to cover the surface of the pan well, shaking off any excess
3. Slice the apples and sprinkle with lemon juice. Toss well to cover all the surfaces with lemon
4. Sift the flour with the cardamom and salt
5. Using a food processor ( or stand mixer ) cream butter, sugar, lemon essence scraping down the sides from time to time
6. When light and fluffy add the lemon zest and pulse to combine
7. Add the eggs one at a time processing for 10 seconds at each addition
8. Alternate additions of flour mix and  milk to the batter, processing  well till mixed through, starting and ending with the flour
9. Now make the topping. In a plastic bag, combine the raw sugar, cardamum, nutmeg and cinnamon and toss well
10. Add the apple slices and toss them well in the sugar spice mix till all the slices are well covered
11. The batter will be light and fluffy so spoon it into the prepared cake tin spreading it out carefully with a spatula
12. Arrange the spiced apple slices around the top of the cake 
13. Give the cake pan a tap or two on the bench top to settle the batter and also to release any air bubbles
14. Place into the preheated oven and bake for 55-60 minutes or until the top is well browned and a skewer comes out cleanly
15. When cooked, remove the cake pan from the oven and allow it to stand for 5 minutes
16. Then carefully invert and allow the cake to cool completely on a cooling rack
17. Dust with icing sugar, cut and enjoy the light and fragrant  cake for afternoon tea with your favourite tea or coffee