Apple Cake

I decided that I was in the mood for some cake. Having never tried apple cake I thought that it might be a good idea to make one.

So what I wanted was a nice soft cake that had a good amount of apple too.  But I didn’t want to mix the apple into the cake batter in case it all sank during baking.  So I thought that I would finely slice the apples and push them into the batter once it was in the cake tin.  For mine I made a simple pattern in circles in the batter, but any pattern would do.  I also think that diced apple sprinkled on top of the batter would work quite well.

I used Braeburn apples but almost any variety would work well too.

The cake is very simple to make and doesn’t take much time at all.  So this is a cake that can be made and eaten in just a few hours. It is also perfect served as a dessert with some whipped cream or some ice-cream.

Mine turned out very well indeed.  I loved the softness of the cake with the sweet, fruity, flavour from the apples.

I ought to mention that many people enjoy apple cake with a little cinnamon added to the batter, so that is an additional option for those who wish to try it.

Ingredients:

• 250g(1 2/3 cup) plain flour – based on scooping packed flour
• 125g(9 tbsp) cold unsalted butter
• 125g(1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) caster sugar, or granulated
• 3 medium eggs(large in USA), cold
• 150ml(1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) cold whole milk
• 10g(2 1/2 tsp) baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste(or extract)
• pinch of salt
• 250g apples, cored, quartered and finely sliced, with the peel still on
• 2-3 tbsp demerara sugar, for sprinkling on top(or other sugar if you wish)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/350F.
2. Grease and flour a 9inch/23 cm springform cake tin.
3. Place the butter, eggs, salt and caster sugar into a food processor and process until the mixture is fully combined.
4. Mix the baking powder into the flour.
5. Add the flour into the butter mixture, in three additions, alternating with the milk.  So the flour goes in, then milk, then flour, milk, flour.  Mixing each time until just about combined.
6. Remove the blade from the processor and scrape down the sides to incorporate any flour that is not mixed in.
7. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and shake gently to spread and level across the base.
8. Take slices of apple and poke them, peel side up, into the batter forming whatever pattern you wish.
9. Sprinkle the demerara sugar over the top.
10. Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes, until the cake rises up and the apple cooks thru.
11. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 20 minutes and then remove from the cake tin.
12. Place onto a wire rack to cool completely.