Spiced Apple Cake

The aromas from this cake take us back to mum’s kitchen on a Sunday morning. We were always celebrating someones birthday or christening, so this was one of mum’s favourite cakes to bake for the occasion. This cake is moist, sweet and has a good amount of spice! Enjoy with a cup of Chai latte.

 

Ingredients
   

25g unsalted butter, extra for greasing cake tin

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon caster sugar

1 pink lady apple, thinly sliced into wedges

Batter-

250g unsalted butter, soft

1/2 cup brown sugar

A good pinch of sea salt

2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups of self-raising flour

1 cup almond meal

1/2 cup semolina

Pinch of baking powder

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the filling

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 Pink Lady apples, peeled, cored, cut into 2cm cubes

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

Ice cream or Creme Fraiche to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. In a frying pan on medium heat, melt the butter, brown sugar and caster sugar and add the apples and cook for 10 minutes or until golden. Place aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl using a hand held electric mixer beat the butter, brown sugar, sea salt and vanilla bean paste until combined. Gradually add the eggs, one at a time. Mix to combine.
3. To the butter mix, add the flour, almond meal, semolina, baking powder and spices and beat to combined.
4. For the filling place the pieces into a bowl and add the brown sugar and spices. Mix to coat apples and place aside.
5. In a loose base round cake pan 20cm, arrange the apple wedges along the edge of the cake pan, making sure they are no gaps.
6. Reserve 2 large tablespoons of the batter. Spread the batter on top of the arranged apple wedges and around the tin. Make sure to be gently, so that the arranged apple wedges don’t move out of place.
7. Place the spiced apples pieces into the cake tin and spread the 2 tablespoons of reserved batter on top. Making sure the apples and batter is all flat.
8. Bake the cake for 1 hour. It’s best served warm or at room temperature. Serve with a dollop of crème fraiche.

This will keep in an airtight container in the fridge or pantry for 5-6 days. In our house though it might last for 2 days max.