Spiced Apple Cake | Recipe {Baking}

This is my second attempt at baking this cake. I tried with pears, it did not work - at all. I was always try to think of different versions of the cakes I bake. For this cake, except for the addition of ginger and cloves, I did not change anything the second time, lesson learnt.But let me tell you, it is the perfect January cake, it uses the Christmas spices that I love (and I have left) but it is lighter than gingerbread cakes. 

The recipe is from the second book by the Hairy Bikers/Dieters. These are my favourite dieting books. From the first book I already baked the skinny carrot cake and the soft jammies. 

What you are going to need? (for 14 portions, if you are on WW - 5 points each)

• Oil, for spraying
• 750g Bramley cooking apples
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Fnely grated zest of ½ lemon
• 250g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground clover
• 2 large eggs
• 100g demerara sugar, plus 2 tbsp
• 200ml semi-skimmed milk
• 100ml sunflower oil
• ½ tsp sifted icing sugar, for dusting

How to make this cake? 

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas 5. Line a 23cm cake tin with baking parchment. 
2. Peel the apples and cut them into quarters. Remove the cores and cut the apples into thin slices – you’ll need about 500g prepared weight. Put the apple slices in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice and zest.
3. Mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and spice in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the eggs with the 100g of sugar, the milk and sunflower oil in a separate medium bowl using a large metal whisk. Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring lightly until combined – use the whisk to break up any stubborn lumps. Toss the lemony apples through the cake batter until evenly mixed and pour the mixture into the prepared tin.
4. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of sugar evenly over the top and bake the cake in the centre of the oven for 1 hour until it is well risen and golden on top. Test the cake by inserting a skewer into the centre – it should slide easily through the apples in the middle and come out clean.
5. Leave the cake to cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the tin and carefully peeling off the baking parchment. Dust with sifted icing sugar and serve warm or cold with a little single cream or half-fat crème fraiche.
6. This cake is deliciously moist, so it’s best to keep it wrapped in foil and eat it within a couple of days. It is quite large, so if you want to keep yourself from being tempted to eat too much, you could cut the cake into quarters and freeze some for another time. Wrapped tightly, it will freeze well for 3 months. Defrost the cake fully before serving and warm it through in a low oven or a microwave if you like

I made it on Sunday, and it is still moist and lovely. Totally worth making - and it is very quick as well (except for the time in the oven)! 

I have entered the recipe for the Facebook competition 'The Great Bramley Bake In' if you feel like voting for it. Thanks!