Aromatic Apple Cinnamon Cake
Moist and Fragrant Apple Cinnamon Cake Made with Apples from Your Fridge
I used to make fresh juice for my husband every morning, but I couldn’t for a few days. Then, two apples languishing in the fridge caught my eye. After pondering what to do with them, I decided to bake a cake! Introducing our apple-filled cake: the Apple Cinnamon Cake! ^^ It’s a cake with a wonderful cinnamon aroma.
Cake Batter Ingredients
- 200g cake flour
- 6g baking powder
- 130g granulated sugar
- 1 sachet vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- 2g salt
- 3 room-temperature eggs
- 130ml coconut oil (or olive oil)
Apple Filling Ingredients
- 2 medium apples
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 medium apples
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let the eggs sit out at room temperature before you begin so they aren’t cold. Combine the cake flour and baking powder in a bowl and sift them together twice to ensure they are well-mixed and free of lumps. This step helps create a lighter cake texture.
Step 2
Wash the apples thoroughly under running water.
Step 3
After washing, remove the stems from the apples. Cut them into quarters, peel them, core them, and then slice them thinly. Slicing them thinly will help them cook faster when sautéing and incorporate better into the batter.
Step 4
Place the thinly sliced apples in a saucepan. Add the sugar and ground cinnamon specified in the recipe. Gently mix everything together until well combined.
Step 5
Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Cook until the apples soften and become translucent as their juices release. Once cooked, drain the apples in a sieve and let them cool slightly.
Step 6
If there’s a lot of liquid released from the cooked apples, drain off as much as possible using the sieve. TIP: Excess liquid from the cooked apples can make the cake batter too wet and prevent the apples from cooking properly inside the cake. Draining well is an important step for a good texture.
Step 7
Crack the room-temperature eggs into a clean mixing bowl.
Step 8
Using a hand mixer, whip the eggs on the highest speed for about 30 to 40 seconds, just until they become slightly frothy.
Step 9
As the eggs start to foam up generously, gradually add the salt, granulated sugar, and vanilla sugar in 2-3 additions while continuing to whip. The sugar helps to stabilize the egg foam.
Step 10
Continue whipping on the highest speed of the hand mixer for about 4 to 5 minutes. Whip until the egg mixture becomes pale yellow, thick, and forms firm peaks – when you lift the whisk, the batter should hold its shape. This thorough whipping is key to a light and fluffy cake.
Step 11
Now it’s time to add the coconut oil (or olive oil) to the batter. Don’t add it all at once; pour it in gradually, in 2-3 additions, while mixing.
Step 12
Switch the hand mixer to the lowest speed and mix gently until the oil is just incorporated into the batter. Be careful not to overmix; you want it to be smooth without the oil separating.
Step 13
Sift the cake flour and baking powder mixture (which you sifted twice earlier) over the batter once more. This ensures an even distribution of leavening and prevents lumps, contributing to a delicate crumb.
Step 14
Using a spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Use an under-and-over motion, scraping from the bottom of the bowl upwards. Mix just until no dry streaks of flour remain. Overmixing at this stage can lead to a tough cake.
Step 15
Add the cooled, drained apple filling to the batter. Fold gently with the spatula until just combined, ensuring no dry flour is visible. Again, avoid overmixing. The goal is to distribute the apple pieces evenly throughout the batter.
Step 16
TIP: Overmixing the batter can develop gluten, resulting in a tough cake texture. Mix only until the dry ingredients disappear and the ingredients are just combined. This minimal mixing is the secret to a tender cake.
Step 17
Prepare a 25cm x 25cm square baking pan by lining it with parchment paper. Carefully pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.
Step 18
Use a scraper or spatula to smooth the top of the batter evenly. This will ensure the cake bakes uniformly.
Step 19
Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C (340°F) for about 35 to 40 minutes. Ovens can vary, so keep an eye on the cake and adjust the time and temperature as needed based on how it’s baking. TIP: Insert a skewer or toothpick into the center of the cake; if it comes out clean, the cake is done.
Step 20
TIP: If the top of the cake is browning too quickly but the inside is still undercooked, loosely cover the top with aluminum foil or lower the oven temperature by 10-20°C (20-40°F) to allow it to bake through gently.
Step 21
Once the cake is beautifully baked, carefully remove it from the oven. Immediately transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Peel off the parchment paper only after the cake has cooled down, which makes for a cleaner removal.
Step 22
Doesn’t the cake look beautifully golden? ^^ While the cake was baking, the most delightful cinnamon aroma filled the house, making everything smell wonderfully delicious!
Step 23
Using coconut oil instead of butter makes the cake exceptionally soft and moist. It’s ideal for those who prefer a lighter, tender texture over a dense, heavy one. The addition of cinnamon adds a sophisticated, bakery-like quality.
Step 24
Each bite offers a lovely contrast between the slightly crisp apple pieces and the warm, fragrant cinnamon. The cake is wonderfully soft and moist, making it a treat that everyone can enjoy.
Step 25
This ‘apple-filled cake,’ the Apple Cinnamon Cake, pairs wonderfully with an Americano. Personally, I find it even more delightful with a shot of strong espresso. It’s not too rich or overly sweet, making it perfect for enjoying without getting tired of the taste. It has a wonderfully unpretentious, pure flavor. Would you like to try a slice with me? ^0^
