This cinnamony Apple cake is dairy free and made with olive oil. It has bourbon vanilla and lemon juice and zest in it and I make it with spelt flour, so it’s healthier because spelt is an ancient grain packed with nutrients that processed flour hasn’t got much of.

The top goes a bit apple crumble-like and the sides go a bit biscuity but it stays moist in the middle, and all my friends really love it and can’t tell it’s dairy free. Perfect for Bonfire Night and Christmas or just for tea time. I sometimes have it for breakfast with coffee too.

Recipe

Recipe serves 8-10

Ingredients

4-6 eating apples peeled, cored, and sliced into slim half moon wedges
3 teaspoons cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar
3 cups of flour (I use spelt)
2 cups golden caster sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup vegetable oil (I use mild olive oil)
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 lemon juice and zest
Icing sugar for dusting (optional)

How:

Preheat oven to 180c /350 F.

Prepare a deep 22 centimetre cake tin by laying a circle of grease proof paper in the bottom and spraying with cake release spray or brushing with a little oil.

In a large bowl, gently mix the apple slices with the cinnamon and 5 tablespoons of the sugar. Set aside.

In another bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking powder.

In a really big bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice and zest until fluffier and lighter in colour.

Stir in the dry ingredients until all mixed together.

Tip half of the cake batter into the baking tin. Next, add an even layer of apple slices, using half the apple pieces and saving the best looking slices for the top. Pour in the remaining cake batter. Lastly, place the remaining apple slices on top in a circle pattern.

Bake for about 70 -90 minutes. I put a loose piece of tin foil over the top after 35 minutes so it doesn’t go too brown on top. The cake is done when a skewer comes out clean from the centre.

Let the cake cool in the pan before putting on a plate or serving dish. You can dust with icing sugar if you fancy. Delicious on its own with coffee or tea or with dairy free vanilla ice cream or custard.

I shop at:
Waitrose
Sainsbury’s
Tesco
Lidl