I sent this recipe to my mate Em, and she seemed to think it was too much work, but it isn’t really. You could buy the Sponge Cake if you wanted to save time – I always have loads of eggs from our chucks, so I make them and freeze them for later use (sponge cakes freeze incredibly well).

CAKE:
6 eggs, separated (4 will also do fine)
2 tbsp warm water
200g sugar
Pinch salt
200g flour (I also use 250g)
(NOTE: This recipe doesn't call for baking powder as you beat the eggs a lot, but you could add a tsp/pkt of baking powder if you wanted to be absolutely sure that it rises perfectly.)

FILLING:
1 jar apple puree (720g/ml)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup raisins - add rum to cover and heat 1 min in microwave, then cool (or dissolve the gelatin in the warm rum and use as per pkt instructions)
½ cup (3 tbsp) coconut (can double this if you like coconut)
1 tbsp sugar
1 pkt / 6 sheets gelatin, dissolved as per packet instructions

TOPPING (& FILLING):
500ml/g fromage blanc (cottage cheese)
200ml cream, whipped
300ml yoghurt or crème fraiche
3 pkts vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla essence & 3 tbsp sugar)
1 pkt / 6 sheets gelatin, dissolved as per packet instructions
(NOTE: A similar recipe used 250g mascarpone and 250g fromage blanc with 3 sheets of gelatin for the middle, and 300ml of whipped cream for the top and sides.)

FINISH:
50-100g / 1/3 – ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

METHOD:

CAKE:
1. Mix the warm water with the egg yolks and beat till creamy. Add 2/3 of the sugar whilst beating, until you have a thick creamy mass.
2. Beat the egg whites till stiff, then add the 1/3 sugar that's left and beat till very stiff.
3. Fold into the yolk mix. Then gently fold in the sifted flour.
4. Line the bottom of a 24-26cm springform with baking paper and pour in the batter, smoothing the top.
5. Bake at 180C for 35min.
6. Remove from the tin and cool before slicing horizontally into 2 or 3 parts.

FILLING:
1. Mix all the ingredients together and allow to set slightly before adding it to the cake.
2. I put the springform back around the cake before I fill it just incase it runs down - it keeps it more tidy!
3. Spread the filling over the bottom half of the cake and then spread about 1/3 of the topping mixture over it.
4. Put the other half of the cake on top and spread the top and sides with the rest of the topping mix.

TOPPING:
1. Mix all the ingredients together and allow to set a little before using.
2. As I mentioned above, a similar recipe used 250g mascarpone and 250g fromage blanc with 3 sheets of gelatin for the middle, and 300ml of whipped cream for the top and sides.
3. I use whatever I have on hand and then enough gelatin to make sure it sets!

FINISH:
1. Put the sliced almonds in a dry pan and heat till lightly browned. Be very careful not to burn them as they taste bitter if burnt. Sprinkle them on the top and sides of the cake.
2. I have used roughly chopped almonds on occasion when I had no sliced almonds, but the sliced almonds do look prettier.