Ingredients:

Butter – 175 gms, plus extra for greasing 
Apples –  3 medium 
Dates, halved, stoned and finely chopped – 100 gms  
Eggs - 3 
Self raising flour – 350 gms 
Blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped – 100 gms 
Ground Cinnamon –  2 tsp 
Sugar – 175 gms

Method:

• Heat oven to 180°C. Lightly butter a deep 20cm loose-based or spring form round cake in, then line the base with baking parchment.
• Melt the butter by heating it and then cool it for 5 minutes. Crack the eggs into the butter and beat well. Mix the flour with the cinnamon and the sugar.
• Core and cut two apples (unpeeled) into bite-size chunks. Mix the apples into the flour along with the dates and half of the chopped hazelnuts.
• Pour the egg and butter mixture into the flour mixture and gently  stir together. Spoon into the tin, smooth the top.
• Thinly slice the remaining apple (unpeeled) into circles, discard the pips, and then arrange over the top of the cake. Sprinkle over the remaining hazelnuts.
• Bake for 50 mins-1 hr until the cake is cooked and risen. Check if it is done by pushing a skewer into the centre – it should come out clean.
• Remove the cake from the tin, peel off the paper and transfer the cake to a wire rack. Cool completely. Keeps for up to 3 days.