Baked Apple Cake

Thorsten's Note:

Do you like baked apples? Do you like cake? Then you will love this treat. This cake will make a wonderful dessert or a different treat for an afternoon break. I use very small apples for this cake. I love the baked apples flavours in combination with a more dry texture of the cake. The cake is not overly sweet and will take up any juices from the apples. The taste of the slightly tart apples, which are still a bit firm after baking and the fluffy texture of the cake is great. The apples are stuffed with my favorite combination of marzipan, raisins and rum. If you want to make it for kids, you can sub the rum (see note on this). Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 3 pieces

Apples

• 3 small apples (up to 2.5 inches in diameter, should be a more tart variety)
• 1 3/4 ounces marzipan
• 3/4 ounce raisins
• 1 tablespoon dark rum (see note)
• 1 cinnamon stick (about 3 inches long)

Dough

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup almonds (blanched, grounded)
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• caster sugar, for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat oven (355 F, 180 C). Grease baking form (see NOTE on baking form).
2. Mix together Marzipan, raisins and rum. Core apples and remove seeds. Stuff apples with marzipan raisins mixture. Third the cinnamon stick lengthwise. Stick the cinnamon sticks into the apples.
3. Mix butter, caster sugar, cinnamon and salt until creamy. Add egg and mix well. Add almonds and mix well.
4. Mix flour and baking powder and add gradually to the butter mixture and mix. Fill dough into baking form. Place apples onto the dough.
5. Bake for about 25 minutes until cake is golden and done. Cake is done, when an inserted tooth prick comes out clean.
6. Let cool for 5 minutes in the form, then take the cake out of the form, dust with caster sugar.
7. Serve it warm or completely cooled.
8. NOTE on Baking Form: I use a pound cake form (3.5 x 9.5 inches). The amount of ingredients is based on this size. You can use any other square baking form. A round baking form would also work. The dough should only cover the bottom of the baking form. It will rise during baking, but should not reach more than half of the height of the apples. If you use another sized baking form adapt the amounts of ingredients and apples to your needs. If you use a pound cake form, it is a bit tricky to get the cake out of the form. Stuff some paper towels loosely around the apples, then turn the form carefully. The paper towels will prevent that the cake will brake apart.
9. Note on Rum: when baking for kids you can sub the rum by water and other flavourings like vanilla or cinnamon.

Reviews

[Citrus1000]

Hi all: I just want to help out for those of you having trouble finding those great little small apples. In my area of Southern Claifornia Vons carries them sporadically and sometimes regularly. For those of you East of the MIssissippi, I believe this market chain is called Safeway and you should be able to approach the produce manager and request he/she get some in as the major chain does buy them and if so, then all the markets in the chain have access to that product. You just have to express an interest and the produce person should bring them in for a try. BTW, we've bought several varieties both last year and this year and were completely impressed with the flavor and quality. I thought they'd be mushy or bland but they tasted as good as or even a little better than their larger counterparts. And boy are they cute too! So, go talk to the produce person and request them - they're worth it. Or, could you halve the apples top to bottom and place the skin side up in the recipie if you can't find the small apples? Just a thought. Enjoy!

[Juushinkan]

I wanted to write this review since I think this recipe is given a bit of an unfair bad rap. Especially now that the instructions have been clarified. I didn't use the marzipan, because I didn't have any, but I made a mix of pecans, brown sugar, caramel pieces and honey to fill the apples with. I also couldn't find apples as small as it calls for, so I used ones that were probably about 3 inches in di, cored them and then baked them on their own for about 20 mins in the pan I was going to use for the cake. Super easy.

The batter was like a very thick pancake batter, so it needs a little help being spread. Make sure you take note of that. I had to spread around my apples because I'd stuffed them full of goo already.

You really don't need a thick layer because this cake really rises quite a bit. I also agree with the reviewer who said it reminded them of shortbread. It's wonderfully buttery and the places that got soaked in honey and apple juice were absolutely delicious. On top of that, this is a real good cake for presentation since no one expects it. I didn't personally eat the apples because I don't like them tart, but they certainly got gobbled up.

[sanjurak]

I just made it and it was delicious! The cake is so tasty and sweet and is making a great contrast to mild sourness of the apples. Next time I will try it with peeled apples....