Ingredient:
Butter, for greasing
500 g (1 lb) cooking apples, quartered, cored, peeled, and sliced
90 g (3 oz) demerara sugar
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Sponge topping
125 g (4 oz) baking spread, straight from the refrigerator
125 g (4 oz) caster sugar 2 eggs, beaten
125 g (4 oz) self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1.25 litre (2 pint) ovenproof dish

Method:
Lightly butter the ovenproof dish and arrange the apples in the bottom. Sprinkle over the demerara sugar and the lemon zest and juice.

Make the sponge topping: put the baking spread, sugar, eggs, flour, and baking powder in a large bowl, and beat until smooth and well blended. Spoon on top of the apple slices, and level the surface.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180c (160c fan, Gas 4) for about 45 minutes until the sponge topping is well risen, golden, and springy to the touch. Serve hot.

Spiced eves pudding
Add 1 tsp ground cinnamon to the sponge topping, and 60 g (2 oz) raising, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1 tsp ground mixed spice to the apple mixture.