The joy of a simple apple cake!
It is apple season – at least in our garden. I am not sure how many apple varieties exist but there are many – too many to list here.
When buying apples, we make it a rule to only buy Irish grown apples but sometimes that it can be rather difficult to find them in supermarkets.
Irish apples are one of the favourite discussion topics of Mr T and the regulars in Browne’s Pub have had their fair share of speeches on the subject. As the saying goes, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’.
Mr T eats apples almost every day with his favourite variety being Red Prince. Now, this variety didn’t originate in Ireland but in Holland where it was introduced in 1994 – in apple years that is still a baby but it grows well in our climate. The skin has a deep red colour which indicates a lot of antioxidants in the skin which is said to lower cholesterol.
Red Prince apples are great for eating fresh but also for baking. My mum made a delicious apple cake (Germans love apple cake) and she baked it regularly and I thought I would share the recipe with you (it’s really tasty).
You’ll need: 3–4 apples (peeled, cored and sliced), 200g caster sugar, 4 eggs, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp vanilla essence (you can also add cinnamon), 250g butter (softened), 250g plain flour.
Cream the butter, add the sugar and whisk until sugar has dissolved in the butter and it has become light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one and whisk until well combined. Mix the baking powder into the flour and work into the butter-egg mix until well mixed through. Add the vanilla (and/or cinnamon) and mix again.
Pour the mix into a prepared (greased and lined) baking tin (26cm). Arrange the sliced apples on top (they will sink in a bit so no need to be too precise about it). I like to add a sprinkle of sugar on top to give the cake a nice crust.
Bake in a preheated (160C) oven on the middle shelf for about 30 mins (I have to admit, I never time my baking time as I keep an eye on the bake so please don’t take the 30 mins as set in stone). Use a skewer to test if the cake is baked through.
Not sure about you but I like warm cake – not piping hot but warm and my mum always gave out to me for not being patient but it was just too delicious, especially with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.
The wonderful things about this cake mix is that it is very versatile. You can replace the apples with pears (make sure they are not too juicy as it will give you a soggy cake), mandarins (try getting the tinned ones – trust me, they are delicious in this cake; just dry them), plums and so on.
It was my to-go cake when I was in a hurry and as it freezes well, I always had a small one (you can divide the cake mix into two smaller baking tins) in the freezer for unexpected guests – not these days though. Happy baking!