Apple and Almond Cake

Autumn heralds the start of the apple season. If you fancy a change from crumble, pie or baked apples, try this apple and almond cake – with the addition of ground almonds and almond essence it’s a bit like a frangipane. Pick firm dessert apples, a mixture of varieties, as they won’t get too soft during cooking, or if using cooking apples you might wish to add a sprinkle of sugar and poach them for a little less. I like to bake in my Kamado Joe. You want to set your BBQ up for an indirect cook at a temp of approximately 160°C.

You will need a 23cm diameter baking tin, or a terracotta dish will be fine. You don’t need to turn out the cake – just dive straight in with a big spoon, making sure you get all the apples and juices from the bottom of the dish!       

Ingredients

CAKE MIXTURE

• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 125g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 75g self-raising flour
• 75g ground almonds

APPLE BASE

• 4 dessert apples, about 600g in weight
• 25g unsalted butter (extra for greasing)
• 1 tbsp demerera sugar (if using cooking apples)
• Pinch cinnamon
• 75ml cider or apple juice

Method

1. Quarter, peel and remove the core from the apples. Cut each piece into chunks.
2. Set up your BBQ for indirect cooking. Cook the apples first. Grease the dish you are baking the cake in and add the apples, butter and sugar if needed. Sprinkle in the cinnamon and add the cider or apple juice. Poach for 20 minutes in your BBQ stirring now and then until they are a little soft but still have a bite.
3. While the apples are poaching, you can make the cake mixture. In a large bowl place all the ingredients and using an electric mixer, whisk until the mixture is light and fluffy. Once the apples are cooked, spoon the mixture over the apples and smooth it over with a knife. 
4. Sprinkle over flaked almonds and some demerera sugar to give a little crunch to the top. You want your BBQ set up for indirect cooking at about 160°C and bake for about 50 minutes or until the cake is cooked. Look after about 30 minutes. Check with a skewer (or use the end of your Thermapen) and if it comes out clean it’s done. Spoon it out onto plates or bowls. Delicious eaten warm with clotted cream.

TIPS

1. Place your baking tin on an upturned old baking tin just to give a little height from the heat of your fire.
2. Try it with other autumn fruits such as pears, plums, nectarines or peaches.
3. Omit the ground almonds, nuts and essence if allergic to nuts and replace the ground almonds with 75g of self-raising flour.

All Recipes

Reviews

We'd love to hear your feedback on this recipe! Why not be the first to review it?

 BE THE FIRST to 'Review This Recipe'

• Watch
• Listen
• Look