Ginger & Apple Cake
Each time I make this cake the apple on top sinks! It may not look amazing but the taste is!
You’ll need:
• 200g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 200g unsalted butter or 150g coconut oil, plus extra for greasing
• 150g dark brown soft sugar
• 5 balls (75g) stem ginger, finely chopped, plus 2 tbsp syrup from the jar for brushing and drizzling
• 3 medium organic eggs or 180ml sparkling water
• 5-6 small eating apples
• 1 tbsp demerara sugar for sprinkling
Method Grease a deep 23cm square or round springform baking tin. Heat the oven to 180℃/160℃ fan/gas 4. Put all the dry ingredients, except 1 teaspoon of the ground ginger and the dark brown sugar, into a bowl. Whisk to combine.
For the non-vegan cake, melt the butter in a pan, then whisk in the dark brown sugar and chopped stem ginger. Leave to cool slightly, then beat in the eggs one by one, until emulsified. Fold through the dry ingredients and pour into the prepared cake tin.
For the vegan cake, melt the coconut oil in a pan, then whisk in the dark brown sugar and stem ginger pieces. Add the coconut oil mix to the flour mixture and whisk to combine. Now, with the whisk running, add the sparkling water and mix until the batter is smooth and light. Pour into the prepared cake tin.
Peel, halve and core the apples, then very thinly slice about two-thirds of the way down each half, leaving the last third uncut to hold the apple together. It is much like a hedgehog or a hasselback potato. Arrange the apple halves cut side up on top of the batter, brush with some of the ginger syrup, then sprinkle over the demerara sugar and the remaining teaspoon of ground ginger. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 45-50 minutes, until golden and cooked through. If using an Aga; place the cold sheet on the second set of runners, slide the cake onto the grid shelf on the floor of the roasting oven for 35 minutes.
Test the thickest part of the cake with a skewer: if it doesn’t come out clean, put the cake back in for another 5 minutes.
Remove the cake from the oven and pour over the remaining 2 tablespoons of syrup. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove and serve. This is best eaten on the day but will keep well for up to 3 days, wrapped inside a tin.
Recipe by Anna Jones from her new book One, pot, pan, planet.
annajones.co.uk