Spiced Apple Cake … Autumn Warmth!

“Goodness comes out of people who bask in the sun, as it does out of a sweet apple roasted before the fire”
Charles Dudley Warner

Sometimes, or rather often as in my case, you see a tweet about a blog post, get to the post & you just know you are so making it, and soon. This was just what happened when my dear friend Petah tweeted about a Spiced Pear Cake the other day. 2 reactions were immediate – WOW!!, and the other… WHAT? Petah & baking sweet stuff? Don’t recall seeing any bakes at his blog, evah, so I almost fell off my twitter column.
Lori & me raced across to his post. Sure enough, there was cake on his delicious Greek blog, the focus of the post Ricardo’s Spiced Pear Cake. When you see good food, the dish should catch your eye … IT DID!! I fell in love with it when I saw the cross-section of the cake with the pear embedded in it.
Fruit in baked treats has always been my weakness. This year it’s reaching new heights, as I’ve baked extensively with pears, apples, peaches, apricots, plums & persimmons. There’s nothing I find more charming, and the mind got thinking about the cake instantly. No pears at home, but just knew apples would work beautifully too. I had the fruit stewing pretty soon, and ‘snail buddy’ Petah was being tweeted for his wise advice.
The cake was a winner. Moist, bursting with Fall flavour, pretty … one the kids loved too. It’s a cake which has something warm for everyone. Sweet enough to satisfy the ‘dessert’ craving, cinnamon & spice flavours to keep you happy, very Autumn & very indulgent … without being too heavy on calories. I dressed it up a teeny bit with a sifting of pumpkin pie spice, drizzle of powdered sugar dissolved in a little milk, and slivered almonds.

Spiced Apple Cake
Adapted from Food Network Canada
Inspired by Peter M @ Kalofogas
Ingredients:
Poached Apples
5 small apples, with stems
Juice of 1 lemon
4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 x cinnamon stick
Spice cake
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup ground almonds (see note)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg

Method:
Poached Apples
Peel the apples, leaving the stems in place and the apples whole. Working from the bottom, core the apples using a melon baller. Place the apple in a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Set aside. Place the water, sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the apples and the remaining lemon juice. With the syrup barely simmering, poach the apples until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool to room temperature. Set aside 60 ml (1/4 cup) poaching liquid.

Spice cake
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a rectangular tart pan {or line a 10 x 20-cm (4 x 8-inch) loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to overhang the long sides. Butter the other sides.}
In a bowl, combine the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, spices and salt. Set aside.
In another bowl, cream the butter with the brown sugar using an electric mixer. Add the egg and beat until the mixture is smooth. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients, alternating with the reserved poaching liquid. Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Stand the apples in the batter, touching the bottom of the pan.
Bake 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake between 2 apples comes out clean. Let cool on a rack and unmould gently.

Variation: If you prefer, you can replace the ground almonds with another kind of finely chopped nut (hazelnuts, walnuts, etc.).

♥ Thank you for stopping by ♥

Before I go I have to say thank you to some foodie friends who have chosen to give me some precious awards. Each award makes me feel very honoured and special. Am thrilled to have found so many talented & fun bloggers that make blogging ever so worthwhile. You inspire me no end. Thank you from the bottom of my heart…

Barbara @ Barbara Bakes for the ‘Inspiration Award’,Rebecca @ Chow & Chatter for the ‘Friends Award’,
and Bash @ Madam Sucre, & Mimi @ Mimi’s Kitchen for the ‘Kreativ Award’.
” You make my day S M I L E ! Glad we met!! “

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Posted by Deeba @ PAB

Published by

Deeba @ PAB

About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.

38 thoughts on “Spiced Apple Cake … Autumn Warmth!”

  1. Yet another amazing and stunning dessert from Deeba. I keep telling myself that I will not be surprised as I expect only the amazing when I come here but I always am. Gorgeous Fall cake with the perfect combo of Autumn flavors and I love the whole apples! And congrats on all the much-deserved awards!

    Reply

  2. Saw this in peter's place and fell in love with it too.
    You have really done justice to the recipe, love that you used apples as there was no pears.
    Yeah congrats on the lovely awards.

    Reply

  3. A warming delicious looking autumnal cake. I will have to check out the pear version too. Well done on the blog awards too, very well deserved for all your beautiful work.

    Reply

  4. Lovely dessert! You are such a clever girl to leave one apple with the stem and turned for contrast! Definitely inspirational! Congrats on all your awards!

    Reply

  5. wow…my eyes almost popped out looking at these….am drooling bad 🙁 I wish I hv some NOW…they good soooo gooood…just what I need now

    Reply

  7. The whole apples are so pretty here! I wanted to try this as soon as I saw Peter's pear cake too. Looks delicious!

    Reply

  8. A fabulous cake! I'm addicted to anything spicy! I'm drooling…

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply

  10. This is a lovely cake, Deeba. Lovely poached apples standing in a yummy, spicy cake. Great photos!
    And congratulations on all your awards!

    Reply

  11. MMMMMMM,…Your spiced apple cake looks fabulous,…

    Yum Yum Yum!! I so love all of your yummie flavours!

    Reply

  13. Oooh this looks so pretty! I've been wanting something to bake in my rectangular tart pan. DELISH!

    Reply

  14. I love those moments when you see something and you know you just HAVE to make it.

    This tart is fabulous. I love the whole fruit peeking out! Perfect for fall.

    Reply

  15. I like how you kept the apples large so the pieces don't disappear into the cake. I also love your pan, it looks so pretty!

    Reply

  16. How can you bake a delicious looking cake like this one. That would be so great today to put some sunshine in my day. Have a good one! Hélène

    Reply

  17. Hey Deeba! You probably know by now that apple cake is my favourite by far! Nothing beats it and yours looks so delish I could almost smell it! I just want to reach into the screen and grab a slice. Gorgeous. And congratulations on all your awards, you so deserve them with this brilliant blog of yours – Yay! =)

    Reply

  18. i absolutely love that whole apples have been pressed into the cake batter! makes it look so rustic and wholesome. and of course, it's no doubt delicious as heck. send me some please. i want cake! and apple spice cake at that! xxx

    Reply

  22. Peter's cake caught my eye as well. Pears seem to be calling me…but so do apples.

    Reply

  25. Deeba,
    Thank you so much for bringing my attention to both versions of this cake. It's such a great variation on the usual apple cake. Gorgeous.

    Congrats on the awards. You deserve them!

    Reply

  27. This is a gorgeous dessert! The baked in apples truly makes it a show stopper.

    Reply

  28. Wow, this looks beautiful and spicy and sweet and delicious! Love all of the photos. Can you believe, my husband told me the other day that he doesn't like apples b/c they have no taste?! He said the same thing about brussels sprouts 🙂

    Reply

  32. Deeba – how gorgeous!! And I love how low-maintenance the apples are – just peel and toss in 🙂 Looks perfect for the Autumn.

    Reply

  34. deeba the photos are outstanding. i wish i baked, i dont have it in me- admire you so much. i would eat this all by myself. x

    Reply

  35. Deebaaaah, you took a wonderful idea and adapted it with what you have on hand…that's talent.

    It's a showstopper and easy to make.

    Reply

  36. I have NEVER seen a cake with whole apples in it! You always manage to do something different even in the most basic of things 😛

    Reply

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