Serves 16-18

Ingredients

For the Caramel

1½ cup        Granulated Sugar
¾ cup               water  (A sufficient amount to cover sugar in the pan)
1 tbsp              Lemon juice
1 tbsp              Grand Marnier

For the cake

500g (2 Packets)   Butter
1½ cups             Granulated Sugar
260g (2 cups)       All-purpose Flour
2 tsp               Baking powder
1 tsp               Vanilla essence
6                   Eggs (large)
5-6                 Royal Gala Apples, or other apples of your choice

Equipment required

Bundt pan of 26cm diameter

Method

For the caramel

Place sugar, water, and lemon juice in a pan on high heat do not stir, but in the beginning, only swish until sugar is dissolved.  Let syrup boil briskly until it starts changing color.  When it is still pale, add Grand Marnier carefully as it will splash, and then continue to boil until it has reached caramel color, not dark.  Do not over boil as it will burn.  When ready, pour the caramel into the bottom of the Bundt pan, and move the pan around so that the caramel partly coats the sides.  Leave to cool.

For the Apples

Core, skin apples, and cut into eighths.  Place in a bowl with water and lemon juice, so that the apples do not discolor.

For the batter

Beat butter first on its own for about 3 minutes on high speed, until it is almost white, and then add the sugar and continue for another 2 minutes.  With the mixer working on medium speed, place egg yolks one at a time, and after all, have been incorporated, add the sifted flour, the baking powder, and the vanilla.  In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt, and toward the end, add 1 tbsp of sugar as you continue beating until the meringue is ready.

Then, first, place a large spoonful of the meringue into the flour mixture and incorporate carefully, preferably using a rubber spatula.  Continue putting the meringue into the flour mixture until it is finished, and all are incorporated together well.

Take apples out of the lemon water, dry them and place them on top of the caramel snugly, and then add the mix prepared as above.

Cook cake in a preheated oven of 350˚F for about 55 minutes or until a fine skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.  When the cake comes out of the oven, let it rest for about 5 minutes, then place a flat round serving dish on top and invert right away.  The cake should come off the Bundt pan cleanly with the caramelized apples on top.  If you leave it too long, the apples will be stuck to the caramel and the pan, so the cake should be inverted soon after it comes out of the oven.