apple cake

I love this cake recipe. Aside from it being from my favourite cookbook author, it’s quick to put together, the ingredients are simple and the result is just great.  It’s more like a bunch of delicious cooked apple chunks held together with a bit of moist, rum and vanilla flavoured awesome cake batter.  A beginner baker should have no trouble with this, and an experienced baker will appreciate how effortless it is.  It’s good the first day, but better the second, third and fourth. This cake is very moist so I just cover it loosely with a tea towel — it’s got a lot of moisture so covering with plastic wrap will encourage mould. (If it lasts that long). This cake is great for afternoon tea, breakfast on the run or for dessert with a dollop of whip cream or ice cream. It will become part of your regular baking recipes, guaranteed.

*Also, I have marked this as “gluten free” – this recipe isn’t but it translates perfectly to a gluten free cake by using  the same amount of all-purpose GF flour with 1/2 tsp of xantham gum.  I’ve made it many times this way, and it’s awesome.

Apple Cake

from Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 4 large apples (if you can, choose 4 different kinds)
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons dark rum
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Directions:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan (I have also used a regular non-stick 9 inch cake pan with good results)  and put it on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in small bowl.

Peel the apples, cut them in half and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1- to 2-inch chunks. (pretty big chunks)

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until they’re foamy. Pour in the sugar and whisk for a minute or so to blend. Whisk in the rum and vanilla. Whisk in half the flour and when it is incorporated, add half the melted butter, followed by the rest of the flour and the remaining butter, mixing gently after each addition so that you have a smooth, rather thick batter. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the apples, turning the fruit so that it’s coated with batter. Scrape the mix into the pan and poke it around a little with the spatula so that it’s evenish.

Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean; the cake may pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for five minutes.

Carefully run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. (Open the springform slowly, and before it’s fully opened, make sure there aren’t any apples stuck to it.) Allow the cake to cool until it is just slightly warm or at room temperature. If you want to remove the cake from the bottom of the springform pan, wait until the cake is almost cooled, then run a long spatula between the cake and the pan, cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and invert it onto a rack. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and turn the cake over onto a serving dish.

simple ingredients

add rum and vanilla to batter

fold the apples into the batter – notice nice big chunks

press into pan

baked until nicely browned

let the cake sit for a few hours before eating

This granola is a staple in our house. I suppose that’s primarily because it’s so easy to make, but I also like knowing exactly what’s in my granola, and you cannot compare the cost to store-bought. The price of cereal, particularly a high-quality granola is one of the things that really bugs me! Sooo, I make this all the time. It’s also great if you have kids away at school – it mails perfectly in a ziploc bag, tucked into a parcel or a bubble envelope.  Give it a try – so tasty and easy. I eat about 1/4 of a cup of it with oat milk and fruit as part of my breakfast, or as a bedtime snack. LOVE IT.

Pecan Almond Granola

adapted from Cuisine at Home

3 cups large flake oats (preferably organic)

1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)

1/4 cup water

2 Tbsp coconut or avocado oil

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp pure almond extract

Optional:

1 cup of dried fruit. (raisins, cranberries, etc.)

Preheat oven to 300 F.  Line a baking sheet with parchemnt paper.

In a large bowl, mix together oats, pecans, almonds, salt and cinnamon.

mix dry ingredients

In a small pot, heat water and brown sugar until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add oil, vanilla and almond extract.  Pour over oat mixture.

pour liquid mixture over oats and toss thoroughly

Toss thoroughly, then spread onto baking sheet. Put in the oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, stir around and spread out again. Put back in for another 5 minutes, then stir, turn again, and continue in this fashion until the granola feels dry to the touch.  Then turn off oven and leave the granola in there for another 1/2 hour to further dry out.

Take out of the oven, and let cool. If you are adding dried fruit, do that now. Place into an airtight container. Try it with milk or nut milk, yogurt, kefir, and add some fruit if you like.