Line a 7 inch spring clip cake tin with baking parchment.

Soften your butter or margarine and then cream thoroughly with the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating in each one thoroughly. Beat in the almond essence.

Make sure your oven is up to heat at 300F/Gas Mark 3/150 °C before you begin to compile the cake. Gently fold the flour into your creamed mixture the spread half in the base of the lined tin, slice in the peeled apples, levelling the surface as best as possible. Carefully spread over the remaining half of the cake mixture; the apples tend to skid about and make this task difficult - a hot knife will help! Sprinkle over the flaked almonds and put into the oven straight away. Bake for 90 minutes, cover if your cake is browning too much. It is very tempting to take it out too soon as the sponge will look cooked, but the apples make it a very moist mix and it needs this long cooking time. Allow to cool for 1 hour and then tuck in ~ it is truly at its best when eaten soon after baking!