APPLE MAPLE CRUMBLE CAKE
APPLE MAPLE CRUMBLE CAKE
Recipe
Apple crumble is my favourite dessert. Period. Here I’ve created a cake version of that comforting dish by baking green apples into a cinnamon-y brown sugar cake, layered with maple cream cheese buttercream and topped with crunchy spiced crumble.
SERVES 12
For the crumble topping
½ cup oats
½ cup all-purpose white or spelt flour
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup flaked almonds
¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup melted butter
For the cake
150 butter, room temperature
150g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 free-range eggs
125g all-purpose white or spelt flour
75g almond flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch sea salt
140g plain, unsweetened yoghurt at room temperature
1½ cups peeled and cored green apple, cut into 1cm cubes
For the maple icing
150g butter, softened
250g icing sugar
100g cream cheese
¼ cup pure maple syrup
For the decorations
Roses
Freeze-dried apple pieces
- Preheat oven to 170C fan bake.
- First, make the crumble. Combine all ingredients apart from the butter in a large bowl, once combined stir in the melted butter until well incorporated.
- Crumble mixture onto a lined baking tray and bake for 15 minutes or until golden and crisp. Allow to cool fully at room temperature.
- Line 2x22cm cake tins with baking paper.
- To make the cake, in the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until pale, light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one by one, beating between each addition.
- Gradually fold in the flour, almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and mix until just combined. Finally fold through the yoghurt.
- Evenly divide the batter between the cake tins and spread out to the sides. Evenly dot in the chopped apple chunks and press down lightly.
- Bake for approximately 30 minutes. The cakes are ready when golden in colour, springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool for around 10 minutes in the tins before turning out onto a cooling rack.
- Meanwhile, make the icing. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter by itself until smooth. Add the icing sugar and vanilla beat on high until seriously light and fluffy. Gradually add the cream cheese. Do not overdo this step.
- Finally fold in the maple syrup.
- Once the cakes are completely cool, ice one layer. Cover with half of the crumble and press down into the icing.
- Carefully place the other layer on top of your iced layer.
- Neatly ice the top of the cake and sprinkle over the other half of the crumble topping. Decorate with roses and freeze-dried apple pieces.
- Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.