Ingredients

• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 75g butter, softened
• 600ml thickened cream
• 1 pink lady apple
• 770g canned apple slices pie fruit
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Icing sugar mixture, to serve

Cinnamon sponge

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 3/4 cup self-raising flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Method

• Step 1 Place sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir, without boiling, for 3 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to high. Bring to the boil. Boil, without stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes or until dark golden. Remove from heat. Carefully add butter (mixture will bubble and increase in size). Stir until melted. Add 1/3 cup cream. Mix well. Set aside to cool completely.
• Step 2 Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Grease a 6cm-deep, 20cm round cake pan. Line base with baking paper.

• Step 3 Make Cinnamon Sponge: Using an electric mixer, beat 2 eggs, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla for 6 to 8 minutes or until thick and creamy (mixture should form ribbons when beaters are lifted). Sift 1/4 cup plain flour, 1/4 cup self-raising flour and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon together 2 times. Sift over egg mixture. Fold gently until just combined. Pour into prepared pan. Tap fingers gently on base of pan to remove any large air bubbles. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until sponge springs back when touched. Turn out onto a baking paper-lined wire rack to cool. Repeat process to make 2 more cakes, greasing and lining cake pan between batches.
• Step 4 Reduce temperature to 100C/80C fan-forced. Using a mandolin, cut whole apple crossways into wafer-thin slices. Place apple slices, in a single layer, on 2 baking paper-lined baking trays. Bake, turning apples every 30 minutes, for 1 hour 30 minutes or until edges are firm to touch and curled (apples will still be slightly soft in the centre). Transfer to a wire rack. Cool for 1 hour or until crisp.
• Step 5 Drain pie apple on a plate lined with paper towel. Pat dry. Transfer to a bowl. Add cinnamon. Stir to combine. Using an electric mixer, beat remaining cream until just-firm peaks form.
• Step 6 Place 1 sponge cake on a serving plate. Top with 1/2 the apple mixture and drizzle with 1/3 of the toffee sauce. Dollop with 1/3 of the whipped cream. Repeat layering, finishing with a layer of cream. Drizzle with remaining toffee sauce. Decorate with apple wafers and dust with icing sugar. Serve immediately.