Spiced Apple Cake

Many of us would probably remember Gordan Ramsey for his visit to Singapore last year where he pitted his skills against a few famous hawkers, dishing out delicious local food such as Singapore Chilli Crabs and Laksa. 

For Cook Like A Star the month of August, we'll be cooking along with Ramsey - a Scottish chef with well known restaurants all over the world. Do come and join us by posting your link to the linky below from August 1st. 

I picked this Spiced Apple Cake as my first Ramsey dish to try and I wasn't disappointed. Deliciously dense and moist, the sweetness of the apple puree is apparent in each bite. 

The best part is that its low in sugar and naturally sweetened by the apple purees and low in oil. It's definitely a lovely healthier treat for kids. 

Spiced Apple Cake (23cm round)

Recipe from Gordon Ramsey's Healthy Appetite

• 1kg cooking apples (about 5 or 6)
• 50g caster sugar
• 30g butter, plus extra to grease
• 2 ripe Braeburn or Cox’s apples
• juice of 1 lemon
• 225g wholemeal flour
• 11/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 175g soft brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 50ml light olive oil
• 2 tbsp apricot jam, to glaze
• 1–2 tbsp water

Method

• Peel, core and slice the cooking apples. Place in a wide pan with the sugar and butter. Cook over a high heat for 10–15 minutes until the apples have broken down to a pulp and any excess water has cooked off. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely. You should have about 475g* purée.
• Heat the oven to 170°C/Gas 3. Line and lightly grease a 23cm cake tin with a removable base. Peel, core and finely slice the eating apple, using a mandolin or sharp knife. Place in a bowl and pour over most of the lemon juice and a splash of water; set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix together the wholemeal flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, sugar and ground spices. Make a well in the centre and add the egg, olive oil and apple purée. Fold into the dry ingredients until just combined.
•  Transfer the mixture to the prepared cake tin and gently level the top with a spatula. Bake the cake for 30 minutes until it feels just firm to the touch in the centre. Working quickly, overlap the sliced apples in concentric circles on top, leaving a margin around the edge. Brush the slices with a little lemon juice and return to the oven for a further 30–35 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool slightly before unmoulding onto a wire rack. Warm the apricot jam with the water, stirring until smooth. Brush over the top of the cake to glaze. Serve warm.

Note: *I didn't manage to get the 475g of apple puree, so I topped up with low fat yoghurt to make 475g.

This is for Cook Like A Star hosted by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, Baby Sumo of Eat Your Heart Out and Mich of Piece of Cake.