cinammon apple cake

When I bake it’s often unplanned. I could be lounging on the sofa flipping through a magazine, or at the mac clearing emails when I’m just struck with an urge to bake. The problem with this is that I have to use whatever I can scrounge up, and usually it’s not much. Yesterday the baking bug hit again and after a quick rummage through the fruit drawer, I found a few apples and a bag of clementines – something to work with! I’ve wanted to make Nigella’s clementine cake for ages but there were no ground almonds in the cupboard, so I scoured the internet for something apple-ly and Smitten Kitchen’s Apple Cake popped up. I made the cake in a loaf tin as I could only whip up half a portion with three apples – just as well seeing that I don’t have a tube pan anyway. I was worried about the long cooking time, but apart from a few burnt bits of apple it came out really well – moist spongy cake, full of soft cinnamon-scented apple chunks, with a pleasingly chewy crust. Turns out B doesn’t like apple desserts… shame, more for me I guess!

Cinnamon Apple Cake
(makes 1 loaf cake*)

3 apples (I used braeburns)
1 cup + 2 1/2 tbsp caster sugar
1 3/8 cups plain flour, sifted
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup rapeseed (or vegetable) oil
juice of 1 clementine
(or 1/4 cup orange juice)
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Peel and core your apples, then cut into large cubes. Toss with the cinnamon and 2 1/2 tbsp of sugar and set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl whisk together the oil, clementine juice, sugar and vanilla extract. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients, then add the eggs one at a time, using a spatula to mix well.

Grease and line a standard loaf tin, then fill with half the cake batter. Cover with an even layer of apples (use half of the fruit), then pour over the remaining batter. Finish with another layer of apples, the pop in the oven to bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Take the cake out of the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes on a rack. Turn the cake out onto the rack (face up) and leave to cool completely before slicing to serve.

* to make the cake in a tube or bundt pan, just double-up on all the ingredients.

~ by gourmettraveller on January 22, 2010.