Recipe: Quince upside-down cake

Absolutely delicious.

Wash the quinces well before using.

Ingredients:

Poached Quinces: 1 & 1/2 cups sugar

1 each: star anise, cinnamon stick

Finely grated rind and juice 1 lemon

4 cups water

3 medium-large quinces

Cake: 150g butter, softened

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 & 1/2 cups self-raising flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp mixed spice

1/4 cup walnut meal or ground almonds

Method:

Place sugar, star anise, cinnamon stick, lemon rind, lemon juice and water in a deep saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring gently.

Quarter the quinces and peel. Place in syrup as each quarter is prepared. Poach for 20-30 minutes - depending on size and ripeness - until tender.

Using a slotted spoon, remove quinces to a bowl. Boil liquid for about 15 minutes, until thick and syrupy. Cool a little. Makes about 1 & 1/2 cups' syrup.

Line a 21cm square cake pan with baking paper. Slice quinces, discarding cores as you go. Place the slices in rows to cover the base of the pan.

Preheat oven to 180C.

Meanwhile, beat butter until creamy. Add caster sugar and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs a little at a time. Sift in flour, salt and mixed spice. Add walnut meal or ground almonds and mix until just combined.

Pour a 1/4 cup of the syrup over quinces then dot with cake mixture. Smooth top with a spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden and a skewer inserted in the centres comes out clean.

Cut cake into squares and drizzle with reserved syrup.

Excellent served with whipped cream. - Serves 8-10.