Apple Cinnamon Cake

Call me ignorant but I have never eaten any apple pie, apple cake or any baked goody with apple in it. Where I grew up, apple was a luxury item along with grapes and other fruits not locally available (now apples are even cheaper than our local mangoes). This is probably why mom never baked us one. For the past year that I have been trying different recipes, I couldn't convince myself to bake an apple pie because I couldn't agree that apples are best eaten that way. I am also very picky when it comes to choosing the variety I eat. I only eat Fuji apples.

However, the past days I had been contemplating of baking an apple cake or apple pie to satisfy my curiosity on how it will all end up. Just yesterday I did and am now a convert.

I googled for apple recipes and judge them by the story behind the recipes. The Mom's Apple Cake from Smitten Kitchen was the winner. Of course I have to change the title in my post :) but all credits goes back to the origin.

I have posted the recipe below the way I made it along with my personal notes. If you want the original recipe just go to SK's site.

APPLE CINNAMON CAKE

(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen's recipe)

• 5 Fuji or any crispy and sweet apples
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 
  
• 2 3/4 cups flour, sifted
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil (I used Canola)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup orange juice (I used Sunkist concentrate)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube pan.

As I have nothing left but my new 10" springform pan, I had to use it. Did not grease but lined the bottom with parchment paper.

Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

I used my mixer to do the job and just mixed on low until just incorporated. Do not overmix.

Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean.

There was one problem though. The bottom of the cake had burnt. The side had slightly burnt too, it could have been worst if I did not wrap it with paper. I had to cut the entire bottom of the cake about 1/4" thick to save it.

Next time I'll make this in a tube pan. Maybe that was what made the difference. Or... still bake it in my springform pan but lay it in double cookie sheets.