Tom's Autumn Apple Cake

I copied this recipe down a long time ago, and I think I forgot to halve the apples along with the rest of the ingredients.  If you like apples a lot use the full amount (I did for my bake, and it works), but it turns out very apple-y!

It's gluten free, but probably also works fine with normal plain flour. But then obviously wouldn't be gluten-free.

Ingredients

1lb peeled, cored and sliced apples
1½ cups GF flour (or Polenta)
½ tbsp GF baking powder
Pinch salt
1¼ cups granulated sugar (I used brown)
½ cup oil
2 large eggs
1½ tsp Vanilla
Zest and juice of 1 small orange

Method

Put the everything except the apples in a bowl and mix it together well.
Line a 8" square tin and pour in half the batter.
Layer on half the apples.
Pour on remaining batter.
Layer on remaining apples.
Sprinkle some brown sugar and little pinch of cinnamon over the apples.
Bake for around 1½ hours at 180°C/GM4.

Joy's Toffee Apple Gingerbread Skeleton Cupcakes

So shamefully it's been absolutey months since I last posted on here, but here goes:

I halved the original recipe & it still made 30 mini cupcakes. I used to loathe recipes that called for cups but all the best muffin & cupcake recipes are American!

You will need:

• 1 cup of plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup butter/marg
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup applesauce 

The recipe also called for the following, which I didn't have. I intended to replace them with toffee chunks, but I forgot to include them in the mix so used them to top the cakes instead!

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts 
• Pinch of nutmeg 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Line mini muffin tin with cupcake cases.
2. Whisk together dry ingredients.
3. In a large bowl, cream together sugars butter.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
5. Add applesauce, then flour mixture. Mix just until combined after each addition.
6. Spoon into cases & bake for about 8-10 minutes.

I used vanilla buttercream coloured purple, green & orange for that extra halloweeny feel, then topped with gingerbread skeletons & toffee chunks.

There's already a gingerbread recipe on the blog as Charlie made them for Christmas, or you use own family one (I can't remember which book the recipe I used was in, sorry!) But I quartered the recipe as I knew I wouldn't use much. I rolled them thinly, & used a mini gingerbread cutter to make the shapes. They only took about 4 mins in the oven so don't forget about them! I used writing icing to decorate, then assembled. I would suggest not sticking them on until just before you want to eat them as they did go very soft the next day.