Cinnamon Apple Almond Cake

What do you do if you are stuck with more apples than you like on hand? I tried making apple chips with mine, however they shrank to such miserable near-non-existence scrawny bits that I made up my mind to buy those freeze-dried version off the shelf next time.

So I was frantically looking for another way to polish off the apples when I came upon a recipe for Apple Almond Cake. Sounds like a dream…

It is important to run through the ingredient listing, I always make sure I have all the required components before starting. However, I am more interested in the instructions. I fervently read, understand and dissect each and every recipe instruction. At times, as an amateur baker, I will research further to understand why some things that done in a certain way and learn new techniques.

For this recipe, I have made a few changes for my own personal preference.

1. I added cinnamon that was not in the original recipe because the man loves it!

2. I separated the egg white and yolk and incorporate them separately. The cake will turn out with a lighter texture but a rich flavour. Incorporating beaten egg whites into the cake batter will create a more airy consistency and using the yolks ensures that the cake will hold together well. The yolk is also the main reason for a rich tasting cake.

Now that we are done with some theory, let’s start baking!

Ingredients

Apple Puree
2 apples
1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp cinnamon powder
2 tsp brown sugar

Cake Mixture
4 eggs whites and 4 egg yolks (room temperature)
165g ground almonds
125g caster sugar (including 25g to be whisked into the egg whites)
1 tbsp lemon juice

Topping

Cinnamon powder and almond flakes (Optional)

Method

1. Skin and slice the apples into thin pieces using mandoline slicer. Slicing thinly with a knife will work as well.



2. Cook the apple slices, cinnamon powder, lemon juice and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cover the pan and cook over low heat until the apple turn brown and soften to a rough puree. Leave to cool.

3. Place the egg yolks, ground almonds, caster sugar (100g) and lemon juice and a mixing bowl and mix well.

4. By now the apple puree should be cool enough for handling. This step is optional, I further diced the rough apple puree using a knife for a finer consistency.

5. Add the apple puree to the cake mixture and mix well.







6. Start to pre-heat the oven to 180 degree Celsius.

7. Briskly whisk the egg whites for about 30 seconds to 1 minute to reach the “frothy” stage.



Add roughly half of the remaining caster sugar (25g) and whisk for about 30 seconds to 1 minutes. Then add the rest of the caster sugar and whisk until the “soft peak” stage.

Note: The time taken to whisk is based on whisking with an electric mixer, it should take longer for mixing by hand but it should not be too difficult.

8. Fold in the fluffy egg white into the cake mixture carefully, avoid any rigorous/ pressing motion to retain as much of the airiness as possible. Do not over mix, stop once you see the last fluffy bit disappear.

9. Transfer the batter into a lightly greased springform cake tin (8 x 2 inch). Use a sieve to lightly sprinkle some cinnamon followed by some almond flakes over the top of the cake batter

10. Bake at 180 degree Celsius for 20 min and lower the heat to 160 degree Celsius for another 20 minutes. Avoid opening the oven in the first 20 minutes.

Note: If the almond flakes start to get a bit too roasted, slide a piece of aluminium foil on top of the cake and continue baking.

11. Remove the cake from the oven and cool the cake on a wire rack.

I so impressed with this recipe as it does not taste like a cake made without drop of butter. The addition of the toasted nutty almond flake does make a difference to the cake as it brings a crunchy bite to the rich, crumbly cake.

It’s great eaten warm with a delectable scope of vanilla ice-cream. The man’s face lit up after trying the first morsel.

Good, he loves me even more now…