Friday, October 12, 2012

Apple Cinnamon Cake


We harvested all of our apples in September and now there are just a few misshapen and buggy ones left, rolling around in my refrigerator.  It's time to stop ignoring them and put them to good use.  This was the inspiration behind an apple filled cinnamon cake.  That, and the fact that you can smell fall in the air.



I started with the dry ingredients, one third white whole wheat flour and two thirds unbleached white flour so it's a little more rustic (nutritious), baking powder, baking soda, salt and some cinnamon and sugar but it's not overly sweet.  The wet ingredients include rice milk, sunflower and olive oil (for a buttery flavor), applesauce, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar to help the cake rise.


Before you mix the wet ingredients with the dry ones, you want to prepare the apples.  I used the left over Galas I had on hand and this one green apple, but you can use all tart green apples if you want.


I peeled and cored enough apples to make two cups of 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces.  I saved the larger green apple to decorate the top.



 I mixed the wet ingredients with the dry ones and put half of the batter into a greased 8" spring form pan.  Then, I tossed the apple pieces with two tablespoons of dark brown sugar and put them on the batter.


I covered the apples with the rest of the batter and sprinkled the top of the cake with two more tablespoons of dark brown sugar to give it a crispy top.  I decorated the top with 1/4" apple slices that I microwaved for one minute in a few teaspoons of water to soften them.  I've found that if you don't do this, the apples on top get very dried out and leathery.


The cake takes almost an hour to bake.  Test it in the center with a toothpick to be sure that it's done.  You want to resist the temptation to cut this cake too soon,  let it cool for a couple of hours before you cut it.  You can see the wonderfully moist chunks of apple in the middle of the cake.  


The perfect fall afternoon snack.


Apple Cinnamon Cake
8 large servings - Use organic ingredients whenever possible

1 cup white whole wheat flour (King Arthur)
2 cups unbleached white flour
3/4 cups unbleached sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon 
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoons salt
1 cup rice milk (or other non dairy milk)
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sunflower oil (or safflower)
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups peeled and cored apple chunks
1 whole apple 
4 tablespoons dark brown sugar, divided

Preheat your oven to 350°
Grease an 8" spring form pan.
Mix the first seven dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Mix the next six wet ingredients together in a smaller bowl or measuring cup.
Mix the apple chunks with two tablespoons of the brown sugar.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir until everything is even combined.
Put half of the batter in the prepared pan and spread evenly to cover the bottom.
Put the apple chunks on top of the batter.
Spread the remaining batter over the apples.
Sprinkle the remaining two tablespoons of brown sugar over the top of the batter.
Peel, core and slice the whole apple into 1/4 inch slices.
Put the apples slices in a bowl and pour 2 teaspoons of water over them.
Microwave the apples for 30 seconds, stir them a little and microwave them for 30 seconds more.
Decorate the top of the cake with the apple slices.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the cake cool for 2 hours before slicing.


12 comments:

  1. OMGosh, that's a thing of beauty! Must make this. :) Thanks!

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  2. What a beautiful cake!

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  3. Wow, this looks delicious. I have so many apples. I will try you cake this afternoon. It is really beautiful !!:) Thanks for the recipe :)!!!

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  4. Can I substitut the apple cider vinegar?!

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  5. Marie-Claude - You could use white vinegar or rice vinegar but you need some sort of vinegar to react to the baking powder and soda to help it rise.

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  6. Thank you! I will do it tommorow :)) The cake look so delicious!

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  7. This looks delicious! I have switched to only using the white whole wheat flour for all of my baking. You could easily use 100% white whole wheat flour in this and never even notice a difference in taste. It would also be much healthier than using refined white flour.

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  8. This was just ok. Not quite flavorful enough and very dense. I might try subbing apple cider next time and adding a flax egg...

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  9. This apple cake sounds so awesome, i do not have a spring form cake pan..What is another option for me…Thank you.

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    1. I think a regular cake pan would be too shallow. You may want to invest in a spring form pan. I find them very useful!

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  10. Anyway, what supplements does this amazing food contain? I'm happy you inquired! It's a significant not insignificant rundown yet apple cider vinegar (and recollect, go for the crude stuff and dodge any vinegars that have been separated, purified or refined) contains these and numerous other basic supplements... https://myapplecidervinegarreview.blogspot.com/2020/09/apple-cider-vinegar-as-proven-detox.html

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  11. I don't have white whole wheat, can I substitute one cup all purpose?

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