Autumnal apple cake

This deliciously tart apple cake is an annual favourite in our house. Every autumn, it’s collecting windfalls from the apple tree outside my children’s school that reminds me to dig out the recipe. No reason why you shouldn’t make it at any other time of year of course – it keeps well for several days so is perfect when you want something you can make ahead of time. Also delicious served warm as a dessert (with vegan icecream, custard or cream).

 

Ingredients

450 of cooking apples (approximately 2-3 large Bramley apples)

juice of half a lemon

225g Pure dairy free sunflower spread (or similar dairy-free margarine) (+ a little extra for greasing the tin)

140g light brown soft sugar

140g caster sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

350g plain flour

4 teaspoons of baking powder

4 tablespoons of ground flax seed

140 ml of water

2-3 tablespoons of demerara sugar to sprinkle

 

Method 

Heat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4.

Line the base of a 23cm baking tin (round or square) with baking parchment and grease the sides with a little margarine.

In a small bowl, stir the water into the flax seed and set aside.

Squeeze the lemon juice into the bottom of a medium-sized bowl. Peel, core and slice the apples, dropping the cut apples into the bowl as you go. Give the bowl a bit of a swish from time to time so that all the apple gets coated in the lemon juice. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, use a wooden spoon or spatula to combine the margarine and the sugars (or you can use a stand mixer). Then add the hydrated flax seed, vanilla essence, flour, baking powder, and mix well until you have a smooth, stiff cake batter.

Spread half the mixture into the prepared baking tin (the mixture is quite stiff, so you’ll need to use the back of your spoon to spread it out evenly, right to the edges and into the corners).

Arrange half the apples on top of the mixture, then cover with the rest of the cake mixture (spreading it out as best you can). Lastly, arrange the remaining apple on top and sprinkle over the demerera sugar.

Pop in the oven and bake for 60 minutes until golden and springy to the touch. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then turn out of the tin and remove paper.

The cake keeps well for three or four days.

 

 

Autumn Apple Cake
 
This deliciously tart apple cake is an annual favourite in our house. Every autumn, it's collecting windfalls from the apple tree outside my children's school that reminds me to dig out the recipe. No reason why you shouldn't make it at any other time of year of course - it keeps well for several days so is perfect when you want something you can make ahead of time. Also delicious served warm as a dessert (with vegan icecream, custard or cream).
Author:
Cuisine: Vegan Baking
Ingredients
  • 450 of cooking apples (approximately 2-3 large Bramley apples)
  • juice of half a lemon
  • 225g Pure dairy free sunflower spread (or similar dairy-free margarine) (+ a little extra for greasing the tin)
  • 140g light brown soft sugar
  • 140g caster sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 350g plain flour
  • 4 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 4 tablespoons of ground flax seed
  • 140 ml of water
  • 2-3 tablespoons of demerara sugar to sprinkle
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4.
  2. Line the base of a 23cm baking tin (round or square) with baking parchment and grease the sides with a little margarine.
  3. In a small bowl, stir the water into the flax seed and set aside.
  4. Squeeze the lemon juice into the bottom of a medium-sized bowl. Peel, core and slice the apples, dropping the cut apples into the bowl as you go. Give the bowl a bit of a swish from time to time so that all the apple gets coated in the lemon juice. Set aside.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, use a wooden spoon or spatula to combine the margarine and the sugars (or you can use a stand mixer). Then add the hydrated flax seed, vanilla essence, flour, baking powder, and mix well until you have a smooth, stiff cake batter.
  6. Spread half the mixture into the prepared baking tin (the mixture is quite stiff, so you'll need to use the back of your spoon to spread it out evenly, right to the edges and into the corners).
  7. Arrange half the apples on top of the mixture, then cover with the rest of the cake mixture (spreading it out as best you can). Lastly, arrange the remaining apple on top and sprinkle over the demerera sugar.
  8. Pop in the oven and bake for 60 minutes until golden and springy to the touch. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then turn out of the tin and remove paper.
Notes
The cake keeps well for three or four days.

It can sometimes be hard to tell whether this is cooked through - it should be golden brown on top and firm to the touch. If yours still seems a bit wobbly, give it another ten minutes. If the top is a perfect colour but the cake still needs a bit longer, turn down the heat a little (and if necessary protect the top from burning by resting some tinfoil over the top).