Quick and Easy Apple Cake

I tried another apple cake recipe, again adding ginger to it along with all the other spices that were in the recipe.  This one comes from a cookbook that my sister Carolyn gave me for Christmas one year, called "The vegetarian adventure cookbook", by Rowan Bishop and  Sue Carruthers.  I really enjoy this cookbook, it has recipes from around the world, and it has been fun trying out lots of different vegetarian dishes from everywhere.

This particular recipe has the comment next to it, "This cake can be prepared so quickly and tastes so good, that it deserves some kind of recognition as a 'best' cake.  It makes a quick and delicious dessert, and the recipe - the origins of which are unknown as it has been passed down the family - is almost always requested by those who sample it".

So I thought that is a good comment, and I am always open to trying new recipes because I enjoy baking.  So here goes.

Quick and Easy Apple Cake

2 cooking apples (med to large Granny smiths are ideal) (I think I used about 4-5 small cooking apples, and I didn't peel them)
1 cup brown sugar
125g butter
1 egg
1/2 cup raisins or sultanas (I didn't have either, so just left them out)
1 1/4 cups wholemeal flour (once again, something I didn't have, so I just used plain flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ginger

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.  Peel, core and slice apples thinly. (I didn't peel them, I just sliced them - it was much faster!) Place in a bowl and cover with the sugar.

 Melt the butter, then blend the egg in with a fork.  Add to the apples and sugar.

Stir in the raisins and the sifted dry ingredients until just mixed.

Line the bottom of a ring tin or 20cm round tin with butter or greaseproof paper.   

Pour in the cake mixture and spread evenly.

Bake at 180 degrees C for 35-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.  (The timing can depend on how fresh/juicy your apples are).

Note: if you are using plain flour, the cake will take between 50-60 minutes to cook.
Turn out onto a cake rack and cool.  Serve at room temperature or warm, dusted with icing sugar and accompanied by whipped cream or yoghurt.

My cake turned out a lot bigger than it initially looked in the cake tin.  I was very pleased with how this cake turned out.  I got the cake tin for christmas from my mum, and it was the first time I had had a chance to use it.  I buttered it liberally, and the cake was really easy to remove and I love the fluted look - the cake looks like it says "Eat Me!"  I don't think it mattered at all that I hadn't peeled the apples - it wasn't noticeable.  Again, this cake didn't sit around for too long in my house!

I believe that food is made to be shared - I certainly enjoy making good food and sharing it with friends and family.  I hope you and your whanau enjoy this cake too.