Upside-Down Spiced Apple Cake

Grease a 22cm round cake pan. Line base and side with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above pan edge.

To make topping, pour butter over base of prepared pan. Sprinkle with sugar. Cut apples into 7mm-thick slices. Arrange apple slices, slightly overlapping, in a single layer over base of prepared pan.

Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a small bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined. Transfer to a large bowl. Add milk and combined sifted flour, cinnamon and mixed spice, in two batches, stirring until combined. Spoon over apples in pan. Smooth over top.

Cook in a moderately slow oven (160C) for about 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand cake in pan for 20 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate.

Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over apple topping. Serve warm or cold with custard and ice-cream.