This perfectly autumnal apple cake has been a firm favorite for years, ever since I managed to coax the recipe from apple grower Evelyne Nochet at Le Nouveau Verger. When you make this cake you will be surprised by the small amount of batter compared to the quantity of apples. It is just enough batter to hold the apples together, allowing the apples to really shine through, without losing the comforting element of cake. This is an updated version – the original included a topping of egg, honey and lemon zest, but this time simplicity won out – with a mixture you can throw together in less than 15 minutes. Because there is so little batter, there is a lot of flexibility with the type of flour you can use. Below we suggest buckwheat and oat flour because we like the earthier more complex flavours and because supporting diverity in agriculture is good for biodiversity. We have also had great success with a mix of rice, coconut and spelt flours, as well as all-purpose wheat flour from the original recipe, so try it with what ever you have in your pantry.
We prefer using more acidic apples, such as Cox’s Orange Pippin or the French variety Boskoop or Reine de Reinettes. If you prefer sweeter apples go for Golden Delicious or Jonagold, or a mixture of different varieties.
An Autumn Apple Cake
8 servings | Equipment: One 10-inch (25 cm) springform pan, lined with parchment paper
Ingredients
¼ cup (25 g) buckwheat flour
¼ cup (25 g) oat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup (80 ml) maple syrup or honey
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup (80 ml) sheep’s milk or non-dairy yogurt
Grated zest of 1 organic lemon
4 large apples (about 1 pound; 500 g), cored and cut into eighths
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder and salt and stir to blend. Add the maple syrup, vanilla extract, eggs, oil, yogurt, and lemon zest, and stir until well-blended. Add the apples and stir to thoroughly coat the apples with the batter.
3. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan. Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake until fairly firm and golden, about 30-35 minutes.
4. Remove to a rack to cool. After 10 minutes, remove from the springform pan and peel off the baking parchment. Serve at room temperature, cutting into thin wedges.
This is an original Nourish the Planet recipe, part of a collaborative series by Patricia Wells and Emily Buchanan. © 2021 – All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.