Jessica Holmes, the creator of the popular baking platform Sweetest Menu, has released her first cookbook and is celebrating with a recipe that has become a fan favourite: apple cinnamon cake. The recipe, which has garnered a global following for its simplicity and reliability, is now available for home cooks to enjoy.
Ingredients for the Apple Cinnamon Cake
The cake requires 210 g (1½ cups) plain or all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, 150 g (¾ cup) caster or granulated sugar, 140 g (1 cup) red apple (peeled and roughly chopped, about 1 large apple), 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 120 ml (½ cup) mild olive oil or flavourless oil, and 120 ml (½ cup) full-fat Greek or plain yoghurt.
Cinnamon Topping and Sugar Glaze
For the cinnamon topping: 50 g (¼ cup) caster or granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 15 g (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, melted. For the sugar glaze: 30 g (¼ cup) icing or powdered sugar, sifted, and 2 teaspoons full-fat milk.
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) fan-forced. Grease and line the bottom and side of a 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tin with baking paper. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and caster sugar. Add the chopped apple and stir briefly. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, vanilla, oil, and yoghurt with a fork just to break up the yolks. Add wet ingredients to dry and gently mix until combined, being careful not to over-mix. Spoon the batter into the tin and smooth the surface.
For the cinnamon topping, combine caster sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a small bowl until lumpy and wet. Sprinkle evenly over the batter. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely. For the glaze, mix icing sugar and milk until smooth, then drizzle over the cooled cake.
Storage and Freezing
Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature. The cake freezes surprisingly well; see page 21 of the cookbook for more storage and freezing instructions.
