The most moreish cake you’ll ever try
Apparently, it’s called writer’s block.
And I appear to be suffering it.
I’m still cooking…I just seem to have lost the power to compose semi-eloquent sentences that will entice you readers to become excited about what I’ve been baking - but I guess that’s what the pictures are for, right?
This is another recipe from Belinda Jeffery’s “Mix & Bake“, and yes, this is STILL my favourite new baking book, with this being my absolute favourite of all the recipes tried so far. It makes for an extremely moist, delicately flavoured cake that has a delightfully crunchy streusel topping and makes an absolutely wonderful accompaniment to a cup of tea! However, this cake must be baked in a ring mold, if it isn’t, it will rise to extraordinary heights, creating your own domed yet edible Mt Everest in your oven. After I created my very own apple & pecan everest, I spent a few days scouring all the stores near my home to find an adorable little ring cake tin, but Belinda writes in her book that a bundt tin will more than suffice, and I’m inclined to believe this more than knowledgeable baking goddess!
If you have a bundt or ring cake tin and you’re looking for a delightfully homely yet moreish cake that isn’t worried about appearances but puts the proof in the tasting, then bookmark this as your next recipe to try as I guarantee that it will not disappoint!
Apple & Pecan Crumble Cake
(from ‘Mix & Bake‘ by Belinda Jeffery)
Ingredients
300g all-purpose flour
250g caster sugar (original amount was 330g but I found this to be far too sweet, especially with the crumble topping)
1 tsp baking soda/bicarb soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 medium-sized firm apples, peeled, cored and cut into thumbnail-sized chunks (I’ve used Gala and Fuji, and while I preferred the latter, both were tasty)
110g roasted pecans, roughly chopped
250mL light olive oil
3 medium-sized eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
Crumble topping
75g all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
55g firmly packed brown sugar
60g cold, unsalted butter cut into small chunks
45g coarsely chopped roasted pecans
Icing sugar, for dusting
All the pecans in this recipe can be replaced with walnut for a cake just as tasty, just slightly less crunchy
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and butter and flour your ring/bundt tin and set aside for now.
2. Make the crumble by mixing together the flour, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl or food processor, then add the butter and rub in with your fingertips or process till the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the pecans and mix in, then set aside.
3. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon to mix together, then put the chopped apples and pecans into a small bowl and add a few tablespoons of the flour mixture and toss to coat and set aside.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs and vanilla till evenly combined, then tip the flour mixture into the egg mixture and stir till just combined. Add the apple & pecan mix and stir through, then carefully and evenly spoon into your cake tin to 3/4 full. Lightly scatter over the crumble topping and give it a bit of a shake to even it out.
5. Bake for 45min - 1hr, or till a wooden skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cook the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then invert onto a flat plate and invert again onto a rack so that the crumble layer is on top. Leave to cool completely.
6. Serve with a generous dusting of icing sugar, and with a nice big mug of well-brewed tea
Technorati Tags: cake, coffee cake, streusel, baking, Belinda Jeffery, recipes, dessert
Others who have tried this recipe:
- Thanh from I Eat Therefore I Am
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Comments
Rhian Mmm… now I have the urge to go and buy a ring pan just so that I can make this cake! (I’ve always wanted to try the more excitingly-shaped cake tins.) It looks wonderfully rustic and completely delicious.
Indigo Writer’s block or not, I’m still dying to make this cake. I’m probably the only person in my family who would eat it, but that’s not necessarily a problem, is it…?
Patricia Scarpin I have a ring mold, I have a rind mold, lalalalala.. ;)I’m soooo making this, sweetie.
shirley This looks like a wonderful cake. I’m going to have to do a refresher course on converting your measurements to mine.
brilynn I hear ya on the writers block! That cake looks amazing though, I’m at my parents house this weekend and am planning on stealing one of the bundt pans…
Toni Oh that looks awesome! I might have to attempt a gluten-free version of this, because I want some!
I’ll report back on the experiment if I do it.
Robyn Tang I like Belinda’s ‘Mix & Bake’ too. I’ve tried a few recipes, and they’ve turned out well (with some adjustments to the sugar amounts). Your cake looks great, even more tempting than the one in the book!
Piggy Did you peel off the skin of apples? It looks pretty with little green and red chunks peeking out from the slices of cake. It sure looks moist and yummy indeed.
Katie Ohh that sounds just like my kind of cake. Sweet, nutty, fruity and moist all in one - yum!
Bruno Looks great Ellie! I may have to try this recipe, but first I must buy a ring mold because I’m too tired to climb Mt. Everest
Lynn Oh, that does look mighty good. A mug of tea, a slice of that cake, and a good book would make my afternoon!
MyKitchenInHalfCups Ellie . . . WOW oh WOW. That looks sooooo good, a perfect coffee cake. I have lots of coffee!
yw Beautiful looking cake! Even more so than the photo in the book.Love that book. Love your blog too.
Marina I made this cake yesterday with Royal Gala apples and i must say that this cake needs apples which are a bit sharp and have a sour edge. The Royal Gala was too sweet and didn’t really contrast the ’sponge’ part of the cake. The cake needs a little sour apple kick to it But yes it is incredible still mooreish!
Ellie Thanks everyone for your lovely comments!
Shirley, ‘moreish’ refers to food that you want ‘more’ of - http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/MOREISH
Toni - best of luck with the conversion to gluten free! I’d be really keen to hear how it goes as I’m always on the lookout for coeliac friendly recipes
Piggy - I did, but I used a few different apple varieties hence the spots of colouring
Marina - I actually found the creamy bites of royal gala to be quite enjoyable, but I do prefer the fuji as I found their firmer texture more enjoyable. I’ve tried making this with a rather tart apple variety (since fujis are no longer in season) and the family didn’t actually enjoy it very much at all!
Thanh I just made this cake and it is indeed moreish. It also gave me the chance to use my Bundt tin that I had bought a while ago. I love the crumble combined with the cake flavours. I used Royal Gala as you suggested as I couldn’t find any Fujis. Normally I only eat Fuji apples. The Royal Gala was good but I too was thinking that I would try some tart apples like Marina. I thought that the tartness would contrast better, but after your comments, maybe I will try to find Fuji’s instead.
Eliza Bennet I have baked this on Sunday and the results were great! Loved by my family and people at work. Thank you so much
Ellie Thanh - I forget the name of the variety of tart apples that I bought (I just picked up 1kg at the local orchards on the recommendation of the farm owner), but the tartness fought for place too much against the cinnamon, which was where it lost us. I do recommend fujis, but perhaps when they’re back in season
Eliza - I’m very glad to hear that the family and colleagues enjoyed the cake! 
Beth I made this last night, having purchased a pan for the purpose. My dh did the metric conversions for me. I used Fuji apples. The only problem I had was that my olive oil, which LOOKED light, tasted quite strong, and so the lovely cinnamon/apple flavors took a back seat, sadly. My favorite bit was the topping.
Ellie Beth, sorry to hear about the oil not working out - next time you find yourself with a stronger-tasting olive oil than expected, you can try substituting it with vegetable oil in baking recipes for something that will add moisture but not affect the flavour
E, I though you didn’t peel your apples, as I saw those colorful red and green chunks inside the cake, looks very festive