Double the apple - Apple cake with apple filling

My Dad has been helping us a lot lately in our search for a new house. So as one way to say thank you, I baked him an apple cake.


Ingredients:
Cake (Adapted from Simply Recipes)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch salt
1 cup sugar (I used 3/4 white, one quarter brown)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 cup apple sauce (plus extra to fill the cake) - recipe here is enough for the cake plus filling.
1/4 cup buttermilk


Method:
Preheat oven to 190 degrees C. Greese and line a 20 x 20 cm square baking pan.
Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt into a large bowl and set aside.
Place the butter in another bowl and beat until pale, add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat to combine after each. Add the vanilla and the applesauce, and beat until combined.
Mix in half of dry ingredients. When nearly combined, add the buttermilk. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients, until fully incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and place in centre of the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cake is done. Test for doneness by lightly pressing the cake - it should spring back to the touch. Alternatively poke a toothpick into the centre of the cake - if it comes out clean, its done. Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and leave to cool on wire rack.


Once cool, carefully slice in half and fill with the extra apple sauce.

Ice with cream cheese icing.

Apple sauce

Adapted from All Recipes and Simply Recipes

Ingredients
4 apples (peeled, cored and chopped)

Slice of lemon peel
1/2 - 3/4 cup water
1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method
In a saucepan, combine apples, lemon peel, water, sugar, and cinnamon. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Remove lemon peel and allow to cool before mashing with a fork or potato masher. If you want it smoother, use a hand held mixer or pop it in the blender for a few seconds.

Apple crumble slice for Dad

Dad has relatively simple tastes when it comes to baked goods. Chocolate (no white chocolate), banana or apple cinnamon.

This apple crumble slice can be served hot or cold. It has a buttery biscuit base, apple and cinnamon filling, with a brown sugar and cinnamon crumble topping. It is definitely not a pretty slice - the topping making it a little messy to serve, but it smelt great baking in the oven.

Ingredients:

Apple filling
3 apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons cornflour
4-5 tablespoons butter

Base
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup butter

Crumble topping
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup plain flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 tsp cinnamon

Method:

Melt butter in pan and add apples, stirring for two minutes. Add sugar, stir until dissolved. Add cinnamon and stir thoroughly, then add corn flour to thicken. Cook for a further five to seven minutes. You want to have the apples just cooked - not soft and mushy. Keep warm while you make the base. you want to add this to the base straight from the oven.

Preheat the oven to 176 degrees C. Grease and line a 20 x 20 cm cake pan. Cut the baking paper bigger than the baking pan so you have some overhang for easy removal of the slice after baking.

For the base, place the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the butter and use an electric beater on low to mix until it resembles sandy crumbs. Use your hands if it's easier!


Tip the mixture into the baking pan and use your fingers to press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan. Pop in the oven and bake for 16-20 minutes, until golden brown at the edges. Watch closely after 15 minutes, but mine took closer to 20.

While the base is baking, get the crumble mixture ready. Mix butter, sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl. You want to pour the mixture onto the base while still warm from the oven, so have it ready! Spread apple evenly over base. Sprinkle the crumble on top.

Return to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until crumble is golden. Leave to cool before slicing.

Apple doughnut cupcakes

Yesterday I asked Mr X if he would prefer me to make apple cinnamon cupcakes or jam doughnut cupcakes. After I described each of the recipes, he came up with his own idea - a combination of the two.


I made them two ways - the first 12 I popped in the oven without the apple filling. Then once cooled I cut a hole in the top and filled it with apple mixture before replacing the top. The second batch I baked the apple filling into the cupcake. Both worked well - the cupcakes where apple mixture is added before baking is obviously easier/quicker, but filling after baking enables you to add more. Mr X preferred them with apple added post baking.


Makes 24.


Apple filling
Ingredients:
3 apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 1/2 tablespoons cornflour
7 tablespoons butter


Method:
Melt butter in pan and add apples, stirring for two minutes. Add sugar, stir until dissolved. Add cinnamon and stir thoroughly, then add corn flour to thicken. Cook for a further five to seven minutes.


Note - this makes more mixture than you need. You could reduce it by half if you want, or use the leftovers for something else.


Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3 cups plain flour
2 tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs cinnamon
3 XL eggs (or 4 large)
2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup plus 2 tbs milk
2/3 plus 2 tbs apple sauce/puree


Preheat the oven to 176 degrees C and grease and line cupcake pans with 24 liners.


Combine butter and sugars in a bowl and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
In a second bowl sift in flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
Add eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one at a time, beating mixture after each egg is added.
Mix the vanilla and milk in a measuring jug. Measure out the apple puree mixture and set aside. Note - do not combine the milk with the apple puree.
Add a quarter of the flour mixture to the batter, beat to combine. Next, add half the milk, beat again. Add another quarter of the flour mix and beat, before adding the apple puree. Repeat flour and milk steps again, ensuring you end with flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl before giving the batter one final quick mix until just combined.


Filling with apple post baking:
Fill each cupcake liners 3/4 full. 


Filling prior to baking:
Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full. Add a teaspoon of apple filling to centre, then fill with additional batter until just over 3/4 full. 


Prior to baking, add a piece of apple filling to top of the batter for decoration.


Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until cupcakes are lightly golden and toothpick comes out clean.


Leave to cool for 10-15 minutes.

If adding mixture post baking, click here for instruction :)


Melt 4-5 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl. Place 1/4 cup sugar in a separate bowl. Lightly brush a cupcake in butter, then roll in sugar. Repeat with remaining cupcakes. Use more butter/sugar if required.

Shoeboxgirl