Spiced Apple Cake (Gluten Free)

, from Issue #72. May, 2017
Photography by Josh Griggs.
Spiced Apple Cake (Gluten Free)

This light and moist cake is packed with tender chunks of roasted apple and keeps well for a few days. 

Serves: 6-12

INGREDIENTS

4 apples, peeled, cored and diced 2cm pieces (I use braeburn or royal gala)
150 grams butter, at room temperature
175 grams caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
3 large eggs, size 7, at room temperature
70 grams ground almonds
115 grams brown rice flour
pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅓ cup mashed, very ripe banana
finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
1 tablespoon raw sugar


Icing
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup toasted sliced almonds, optional

METHOD

Grease a 22cm cake tin and line fully with baking paper.

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake.

Place the apples on a large lined baking tray and roast for 15 minutes or until they’re soft but not collapsing. Cool. 

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together until pale and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well mixed.

Combine the almonds, flour, salt, baking powder and spices, then add to the butter mixture, along with the banana, zest and juice. Fold together with a large metal spoon. Fold in ¾ of the apples. 

Tip into the tin and smooth the top then scatter over the remaining apples and the sugar. 

Bake for about 50 minutes or until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool completely in the tin before removing. 

Icing: Combine the icing sugar with enough lemon juice to make a thick, smooth but pourable icing. Drizzle over the cake and top with the almonds. Makes 1 cake.