This delicious cake will fill your home with wonderful spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. My dear friend, Holly shot these gorgeous photos while on holiday in Provence, France for us and her family absolutely loved this cake and I’m sure yours will too. You can use other fruit, if you prefer in place of the apple. Let your kids help you choose their favourite fruit and perhaps make individual little cakes in ramekins. You can even add in a few chocolate chips to the batter.
TIP Here are some alternative fruit suggestions; pears, peaches, nectarines, figs, pineapple and berries. You can mix a few different fruits together and create your own special signature dessert. Using Greek yoghurt really makes the cake moist, but you can substitute a milk of your choice. In the photo the apple slices are arranged on top the cake in two circles before baking, which makes a lovely presentation, however you can cut them in medium-size chunks and add them into the batter, if you prefer.
NOTE You can use a hand mixer, stand mixer or mix this cake by hand and it can all be done in the same bowl so it’s easy to clean up. You can use an egg substitute like chia seed eggs or flax seed eggs in place of the eggs and coconut oil instead of butter to make this a vegan friendly recipe. Using an egg wash to brush on the apples helps to stop them from drying out and burning. You can omit this step if you’re making a vegan friendly cake and optionally just brush them with a little melted coconut oil.
Ingredients
- ½ cups raw sugar (preferably organic), maple syrup or honey
- ½ cup butter or coconut oil
- 2 large eggs (room temp) or egg substitute
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt (or milk of choice)
- 1½ tsp vanilla essence (optional, to taste)
- 1 – 2 drops Cinnamon Bark essential oil (to taste)
- 1 drop nutmeg essential oil (to taste)
- 1¼ cups self-rising flour or gluten-free self-rising flour
- 1 tsp bi-carb powder (non-aluminium)
- pinch of salt (to taste)
- 2 granny smith apples or other apples (peeled & sliced)
- 1 tbsp raw sugar or coconut sugar mixed with powdered cinnamon (optional)
- 1 egg beaten with a little water (to make an egg wash to brush over the apples)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 180C and line 18cm round cake tin with baking paper.
- 2. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, yoghurt, vanilla, Cinnamon Bark oil and nutmeg oil together with a hand mixer or in a food processor. You can also whisk by hand until the mixture is pale and creamy. Then add one egg at a time and mix until well combined.
- 3. Then add in the flour, bi-carb and salt and mix until just combined. Then pour/spoon the batter into the cake tin and smooth the surface with a spatula or large spoon. Then arrange the apple slices on top of the cake in two circles (starting in the center making one smaller circle and then a second outer circle), brush them with the egg wash and sprinkle 1 tbsp sugar mixed with powdered cinnamon around the top of the cake.
- 4. If you are using ramekins rub each one with butter or coconut oil before adding the batter and fill them approx. ¾ full and bake for approx. 25 – 35 minutes (cover with baking paper the first 15 – 20 minutes) checking on them while they bake to see if they are cooked through. The number of ramekins will depend on their size so perhaps prepare 4 first and use more if needed. You can add apple slices to the ramekins too, if you like and sprinkle with the sugar cinnamon mixture.
- 5. Bake for approx. 40 mins total until a toothpick inserted comes clean and top is golden. Cover the cake loosely with baking paper for the first 20 minutes of baking to prevent the sugar burning.
- 6. You can serve the cake warm (or let it cool) with a few berries, cream, custard and/or ice cream or its wonderful on its own. The cake will keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.
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