I was going to use the title ‘Apple Cake’ – simple and to the point, but that would not be sufficient, it would not be an appropriate title to such a great cake.
How do you know you have made a great cake?
(well any food for that matter)
– people tell you it is very good? No- people take pictures for their Instagram to share to the world? No- people ask for seconds? Almost
the correct answer is …
– You leave the room and when you return, half of it is already eaten. No one is saying anything, they could not help themselves!
What constitutes great cake?
I guess this is a quite a subjective answer.
But let me tell you what I think is great cake:
Sweet – of course, that is why it is cake, but not too sweet. I think this is probably where many recipes falter … too much sugar. When following a new recipe i cut the sugar by 1/3 and sometimes by 1/2 .
Good flour – most flour you buy are white and very processed, so much so that they need to put nutrients back into it. The nutrients are taken out and so is much of the taste, to me they go hand in hand. Use organic flour. Yes it costs a little more, but it is so worth it. You can actually taste it, the cake becomes wholesome, even white organic flour… of course a little brown mixed in never hurt.
Homemade – sorry about all these bakeries and there are some very good ones, but they will never compare to homemade.
Voila … do you agree?
Did I forget to say …VEGAN 🙂
My Apple Cake
Apple tart, apple pie is perhaps the more traditional apple dessert but at times I like something different. A bit of a change … and so much easier. To many making pastry is very easy, but for me it is work, and I actually really like cake, more to bite into and sooooooo good.
Make this once and you will make it again, because it will be eaten so fast.
I googled the internet for a vegan apple cake recipe and found something by Loving It Vegan … so I kind of followed it and by the third attempts it was mine version. Either will work.
INGREDIENTS 4 Bramley / cooking apples – peeled and cubed 1 tbsp caster / granulated white sugar
1 ½ cups of plain flour …organic best 1 cup of soft brown sugar 1 ½ tsp of baking powder 1 tsp ground cinnamon A pinch of sea salt
1 cup of soya milk (other plant milks work but I find soya works best ) ÂĽ cup good oil, I use extra virgin olive 1 tbsp of lemon juice 1 tbsp cider vinegar 1 tsp vanilla extract
Caramelized topping;4 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp vegan butter 1 tsp ground cinnamon
METHOD 1. Put the cubed apples in a pot with the tbsp of caster sugar and a drop of water. Cook until they are just softening…a few minutes only. Set aside to cool. 2. Mix the soya milk, lemon juice and vinegar. Wait 1 minute then add the oil and vanilla extract. Set aside 3. Mix all the dry ingredients together – flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon & salt.4. Turn oven on to 160 C or 320 F5. Grease a medium cake tin. I use a ring form because I like the shape and I think it cooks better. 6. Mix the apples into the milk mix, then into the flour and make a batter 7. Pour the batter into your mold and bake for 40 minutes. Check with a toothpick to see if cake is cooked through. 8. When cooked allow to cool a bit before taking out of the mold.
9. To make the caramelized topping – soften the butter in a small pan, then add sugar and cinnamon. Butter the top of the cake with it and put under a hot grill for ~ 5 minutes to caramelize ( keep an eye on it, you do not want it to burn)If you don’t have a grill, perhaps you can cook it longer in the pot until it caramelizes and then quickly spread over cake and allow to set.
Now try eating only one piece !
Bon appétit,
Jacques X