Apple and almond cake

M had a bake sale at work last week and asked if I would make him some treats to take in, I of course said yes. I made white chocolate and pecan blondies, a chocolate orange cake and an apple cake. The problem with making cakes for a bake sale is that you do not get to try the fruits of your labour. Ok ok I had the trimming of the blondies but they NEEDED trimming, I could not send wonky blondies could I?

Anyway there is no way I could send the cakes with slices missing, so not only did I not get to eat my baking, I have no idea what they tasted like when I sent them off. And this worried me. A lot. However it transpires that I need not have worried. According to M the apple cake was the first to sell out and disappeared within minutes, followed shortly by my other stuff. He also had a piece and said it tasted amazing.

That did it I had to try a piece of this cake. So I made it again. A whole one ALL FOR ME. Well the two of us.

This cake is from Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall and I have stayed true to his recipe with only a couple of tweaks! I added a little vanilla paste to the cake mix, he suggests almond extract but I like my frangipane taste to be subtle and I also used all spice when I cooked the apples.

Apple and almond cake

makes 1 cake

For the apples

3 dessert apples, I used gala
25g butter
tablespoon of sugar
1/2 tsp mixed spice

For the cake

150g butter
125g caster sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla paste
75g self raising flour
75g ground almonds

Grease a 20cm springform tin and line the base with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 170C/150C FAN.

Core the apples and cut into 4, slice each quarter into 3 wedges. Put the butter into a frying pan and allow to bubble add the sugar. Add the apple and the mixed spice to the pan and cook gently for about 5 minutes until starting to become lightly caramelised and tender. Put aside for a few minutes to cool. 

Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add one egg and beat again. Add the second egg and a tablespoon of the flour and beat until fully incorporated. Add the remaining flour and the ground almonds and fold in with a spatula. 

Place the cake batter into the prepared cake tin and level with a spatula, arrange the apple on top. Place in the preheated oven and bake for ~45 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the tin for at least 10 minutes before releasing and allowing to cool on a wire rack. 

Ok M was right, not that he is wrong often, this is a really nice cake. The texture of the cake itself is lovely and light but robust enough to stand up to the apples, which are soft and enhanced by the mixed spice.