Let them eat cake! Apple Spice Cake!

Recently my weekly fruit and veg boxes have included apples. Lots of apples. I eat apples for snacks.  I have experimented with red cabbage and apples (served with duck breast, this was delicious!). 

I have made applesauce to have with pork chops – cue: Brady Bunch flashback!

With autumn and the apple season, I have been on the look out for recipes that use apples.

I came across a recipe for apple spice cake in WholeLiving and thought it would be a great way to use up the apples I had – and a way to make my work colleagues happy.  Also, it looked very similar to one my mom used to make (applesauce cake).  I compared the two, and it was virtually identical.  Another fantastic American classic.

It proved a hit at the office, and with my friend Michael.  It was pretty easy to make.  I highly recommend it as another way to use up the extra autumn apples you may have.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plain flour (all purpose) – equivalent to 250 grams
1/2 cup wholewheat flour – equivalent to 100 grams
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (I use Maldon’s sea salt, I guess kosher salt is a good alternative)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
pinch of ground allspice
(note: my mom’s shortcut on the spice selection was to use McCormick Apple Pie Spice, 1 tablespoon)
6 tablespoons soft unsalted butter – equivalent to 150 grams
6 tablespoons soft brown sugar – equivalent to 75 grams
1/4 cup maple syrup (you can sub molasses here but I wanted the maple syrup flavour – this is not in mom’s recipe, and WholeLiving suggested molasses, but I loved the way maple syrup worked…) – equivalent to 60ml
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 applesauce (no sugar added applesauce!)
2 large apples (or 4 small)
1/2 cup sugar (caster sugar/granulated sugar)

Instructions

1.  Pre-heat oven to 175C (325F)
2.  Butter a bread pan (I used a silicone bread form so this did not need buttering)
3.  Whisk together the flours, baking powder, salt, and spices in a medium bowl
4.  Peel and core the apples.  Reserve the peels and cores (do not throw away!).  Dice the apples into small cubes (about 1/4 inch).
5.  In a medium-large bowl use an electric mixer and beat together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy and creamy – this took about 5 minutes for me as my butter was not super soft.  Then add the syrup, beat until combined.  Add the eggs, beat until combined.  And add the vanilla, beating until blended together.
6.  With mixer on low, add half the flour mixture and beat until just combined.  Add applesauce and beat until combined.  Add remaining flour mixture and beat until just combined.
7.  Add the diced apples and fold into batter.
8.  Transfer mixture to the bread pan.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean – about 1 hour 10 minutes.
9.  Transfer to wire rack, cool.
10.  Using reserved apple peels and cores, a glaze can be made for the cake (optional).  Combine peels and cores, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup water.  Bring to a boil, and simmer until syrup-like (about 15 minutes).  Strain liquid.  Brush glaze over tops and sides of cake.

Enjoy!