You would be quite forgiven for looking at this cake and dismissing it at first glance . . . after all it is not the most attractive cake . . . kind of brown and nondescript. But if you were to pass it by, I am not afraid to tell you that you would be passing by a real gem.
It's moist and spicy and delicious. Stogged full of sweet and juicy apples . . . vanilla . . . and the warm spice of cinnamon and nutmeg . . . sooo good . . . with the added crunch of toasted English walnuts.
On it's own it is a fabulous cake . . . smells good. Tastes good. Just fabulous . . . but do make the sauce because when you make the sauce this cake . . .
Becomes magical. Fantastic even . . . all that buttery goodness . . . sweet and sticky and just a tad bit boozy for those who are so inclined. I don't do alcohol unless it is really cooked out, so I use apple juice instead . . . it's still good nevertheless, at least I think so . . .
Warm apple cake . . . moist and sticky . . . crunchy from the walnuts . . . with all that warm sweet and buttery sauce soaking into it's delicate crumb. What more could you want?
What more indeed!
*Warm Apple Pudding Cake*Makes one 8 inch round or square cake Printable Recipe
Moist and delicious with a warm calvados sauce to spoon over top. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store any leftover in the refrigerator.
For the cake:395g of grated peeled Granny Smith Apple (3 cups lightly packed)4 TBS butter, at room temperature245g of soft light brown sugar (1 1/4 cups, acked)1/2 tsp salt1 large free range egg1 large free range egg yolk1/1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract175g of plain flour (1 1/4 cups)1 heaped tsp of ground cinnamon1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda1/2 tsp baking powder1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg85g of toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped ( 3/4 cup)
For the sauce:
140g of butter, cut into bits (10 TBS)100g granulated sugar (1/2 cup)100g soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)pinch salt80ml calvados (1/3 cup)
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter an 8 inch square or round baking dish well. Set aside.
Cream together the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl along with the salt until well combined. Stir in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Stir in the grated apples. Stir in the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix very well together. Stir in the flour and then the walnuts, until well mixed. Scrape into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, just until firm. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temerature.
To make the sauce, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the sugar, brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir and heat to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and whisk in the calvados. Heat through and serve warm.
NOTE: If you do not do alcohol and we don't, use apple juice instead.
