Apple Crumble Sponge: Turn to me when you need comfort.

I just made it last night, with a feeling that I really needed something to comfort me. Well there are so many times in life that everything around us, is not in the way that we want ^^", and for me when I'm facing that's situation, I want a comfort food.

 For me the word comfort doesn't mean anything more than a piece of cake and it will great if it is an apple cake. I found the smell of the apple, butter and cinnamon, when they're coming together from the oven is the best smell, just take a deep breath and I feel better. 
I always love the baked apple, even the tartest one will turn into soft and sweet dessert, with intoxicated smell. So, even I didn't have the same kind of the apple as the book suggests (Cox's apples), I still believed that my cake will be fine with the Granny smith apples. You can see that my cake is a bit sunk in the middle, ^^ and it's my fault, I just didn't read the recipe carefully enough that this cake need a springform cake tin, because when the cake finished baking, the top will covered with crumbs and springform cake tin is the best choice for these kind of cake!!!!!!!.
Anyway I managed to take it out of the tin (luckily for me that it's still in one piece, haha), and because I had to flip the cake to take it out my cake turn out to be this form. But I just can't resist to post it into my blog, ^^, because it's very gooooooooooood. I started taking a picture after I ate one piece of this cake, ok, I love to be perfect, I think that the look of this cake is quite terrible, -*-, but when the taste is so good, I think my friends will be happy to get this recipe too.
I feel a lot better after eating this cake ^^, baked apple and crumble, so good that I'm smiling all the time that I'm typing this blog, haha (and I'm not crazy, I'm sure about that). And what I will do after posting this recipe, I think I will have another piece of the delicious crumble cake with a cup of tea and have a little day dream.

Apple Crumble Sponge

Make 1 (8 inches cake)

-For the sponge- 
100g ................................ unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 
90g .................................. golden caster sugar 
2 ....................................... eggs 
100g ................................ self-raising flour *
1 tsp ................................ ground cinnamon 
1 tsp ................................ baking powder 
.......................................... a pinch of salt
1 tsp ................................ vanilla extract 
4 ...................................... large Cox's apples (I use 2½ Granny smith apple)
-For the crumble-
125g ................................ plain flour 
50g .................................. soft brown sugar 
50g .................................. unsalted butter, softened  
½ tsp .............................. ground cinnamon 
.......................................... a pinch of salt
50g .................................. rolled oats 

To serve

Runny honey (I use Golden syrup, but if you don't in the mood for the sweetest taste, serve it plain or with a whipped cream)

*if using cake flour add ½tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 20cm springform cake tin with extra butter, and line with baking paper. 

For the crumble, place all the crumble ingredients except the oats in a food processor and process briefly until you have a rough crumb mixture (I didn't want to wash the machine, so I just use my hands). Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the oats until well combined. 
Note: 29 Oct 2013
Because there is a point that you need to know, this recipe should use soft (or room temperature butter), cold butter won't melt and the flour won't stick together.
I make this recipe again with food processor.

Pour the crumble mixture into a bowl and press together. It will look like this.

 For the sponge, cream the butter and the sugar together in a large bowl, using an electric hand whisk at a medium-high speed. When nice and fluffy, add the eggs, one at a time, still beating. When the eggs are incorporated, sift on the flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. 

Fold gently in, using a large metal spoon, then add and fold in the vanilla extract. 

Spoon into the prepared springform tin, and smooth it out so that it is level. 

 Peel and core the apples, cut them into nice fine slices and place them on top of the mixture. Make sure you leave a gap between them and the edges of the tin. 

Scatter the top of the sponge generously with the crumble. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Leave to stand for 5 minutes, then remove the sides of the tin and peel away the paper. 

Apple Crumble Sponge: 

Turn to me when you need comfort.