APPLE, CINNAMON & YOGHURT CAKE

Oh it's apple season and I am so happy about it! Apples abounding in orchards all over and do we get spoiled with delicious apples in this country! With a bounty of apples comes afternoons of baking and experimenting with new recipes to devour, preserve and celebrate the almighty apple. A few Saturdays ago, I felt like one of those deliciously moist and spongy apple cakes that was light and full of apple, so I started experimenting and found the perfect combination, inspired by the Green Kitchen Stories Apple Tray Bake.

Autumn is made for Apple Cake. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Apple, Cinnamon & Yoghurt Cake
Serves 12

Dry Ingredients
100 g / 1 cup rolled oats
100 g / 1 cup almond flour
100 g / 3/4 cup brown rice flour (or spelt flour)
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Wet Ingredients
100 g butter or coconut oil, at room temperature
125 ml / ½ cup maple syrup or runny honey
1 apple, rinsed
180 ml / 3/4 cup plain organic yogurt
3 free-range eggs, separated

Topping
2 apples, rinsed
2 tbsp melted butter or coconut oil
1-2 tsp cinnamon

Ginger-Spiced Yogurt
250 g / 1 cup plain greek yogurt
1 knob (roughly 2,5 cm / 1 inch) fresh ginger
1 tbsp maple syrup or runny honey
1 tbsp lemon

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F bake mode, grease a 9" or 10" springform cake tin and grease with butter or coconut oil.

2. Place the oats in a food processor and blend until the texture resembles coarse flour. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, add the rest of the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Make a well in the centre and set aside while preparing the wet ingredients.

3. Cut the butter into cubes and add it to another mixing bowl along with the maple syrup or honey and mix until well combined and creamy.

4. Add the yoghurt and egg yolks and beat until smooth. Grate the unpeeled apple using a box grater or the grating disc on your Magimix Food Processor, add to the wet ingredients and beat with a whisk until just combined, set aside.

5. Place the egg whites in a separate bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Using a spatula, gently fold the wet ingredients, followed by the egg whites, into the dry ingredients until just combined, making sure not to over mix as the cake will be compact otherwise.

6. Pour the cake batter into the greased cake pan. Cut the two apples in thin slices and place them on top of the batter, pushing them down just slightly. Brush the slices with melted butter and the dust the cake with cinnamon.

7. Bake for about 45-55 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

8. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly in the tin before transferring to a wire wrack to cool completely. Store the cake at room temperature in an airtight container and it will keep for a few days.

9. To make the yogurt, simply scoop it into a bowl, grate the fresh ginger into it, add honey and lemon and stir until combined. Taste and adjust the flavours after preference.