Apple Streusel Cake

This cake is a unique combination of textures -crusty and spongy at the same time. It has its own topping and is simply delicious. 

• 3 medium apples (450g)
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 1/4 cup(60ml) water
• 185g butter, softened
• 3/4 cup caster sugar, extra
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/4 cups self-raising flour
• 3/4 cup milk

Cinnamon Streusel Topping

• 3/4 cup (110g) plain flour
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 60g butter, chopped
• 1/3 cup (75g) firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons water, approximately

1. Preheat oven to moderate. Grease and line deep 23cm square cake pan.
2. Peel, core and quarter apples; slice thinly. Combine apple, sugar and the water in medium saucepan, bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer covered, about 10 minutes or until apple is tender, drain well.
3. Meanwhile beat butter and extra sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions. Transfer mixture to large bowl; using wooden spoon, stir in flour and milk, in two batches.
4. Spread two-thirds of the mixture evenly over base of prepared pan, top evenly with apple, then spread with remaining mixture. Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon streusel topping.
5. Bake cake in moderate oven about 50 minutes. Turn cake top side up to cool.

Cinnamon Streusel Topping

Combine flour and cinnamon in small bowl; rub in butter with fingertips, add sugar. Using one hand, mix in enough of the water to make mixture come together in a ball, cover with plastic wrap; freeze 30 minutes. Coarsely grate topping mixture before sprinkling on unbaked cake.

Serves 12

Storage

Cake will keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Source: The Australian Women's Weekly

Dutch Apple Cake

This is one of my all time favourite cakes. The recipe is simple, and the cake ALWAYS comes out perfect. 

• 2 eggs
• 175g castor sugar, plus 15g extra for sprinkling
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 85g butter
• 75 ml milk
• 125g plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 small (or 1 large) cooking apples, peeled, cored & thinly sliced

1. Preheat oven to 200 C. Line sides and base of 20 x 20 cm square tin with parchment paper.
2. Using an electric whisk, whisk the eggs, castor sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl until mixture is thick and mousse-like, and the whisk leaves a figure of 8 pattern (this will take about 5 minutes)
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan with the milk, then pour onto the eggs whisking all the time. 
4. Sift in the flour, cinnamon and baking powder and fold carefully into the batter so that there are no lumps of flour. Pour mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface.
5. Quickly arrange the apple slices over the batter. They might sink into the batter.
6. Sprinkle on top a tablespoon or more of sugar and bake in oven for 10 minutes , then reduce the oven temperature to 180 C and bake for further 20-25 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.
7. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool in the tin.
8. Cut into squares and serve warm with cream or custard. 

Makes 12-16 squares

Source: Rachel Allen: Bake!

Carrot Cupcake

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 cups (about 2 carrots) finely grated carrot

1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases. Using an electric mixer, beat oil, castor sugar and eggs in a medium bowl until light and creamy.
2. Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices over mixture.Fold into mixture until just combined. Stir in carrot.
3. Spoon mixture into prepared cases. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted at centre comes out clean. Remove from oven. Stand in tray for 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

 Frosting

• 250g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sifted icing sugar, zest and juice in a small bowl until light and creamy. Spread frosting on cooled cupcakes.


Freeze un-iced cakes for upto 3 months.


Source: recipes+

Chocolate & Cinnamon Mousse Cake

You must not worry if this moist mousse-like cake sinks. It is delicious eaten warm with ice cream.For the most intense chocolate flavour, use a plain chocolate with at least 70% chocolate solids. 

• 300g plain chocolate
• 150g unsalted butter
• 6 eggs, separated
• 50g caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. In a bowl over a pan of water, melt the chocolate and butter together
2. Beat the egg yolks and 25g sugar for about one minute, and then beat in the cinnamon.
3. With the chocolate and butter mixture still over the pan of water, stir in the egg yolk mixture and mix together thoroughly. Then remove the bowl from the heat.
4. In a clean, grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are very stiff. Beat the remaining sugar into the egg whites.
5. Gradually fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture
6. Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tin.
7. Bake at 180 C for 30-40 minutes until the cake is dark golden in colour, well risen and springy to the touch.
8. Having removed the cake tin from the oven, place a sheet of foil over the top and allow to cool. This ensure that the steam from the cake produces a soft crust. Dont worry when the cake sinks, this is normal. Leave it in the tin to cool for 10 minutes before transferring it onto a wire rack to cool completely, unless you decide to eat it warm, which is also delicious.

Makes 12-16 slices

Source: Cakes and Biscuits