This cake is a perfect winter dessert. The cake gets it's moist and soft crumb from yogurt and oil. The warm spices like cinnamon, ginger and cloves add to the flavour profile of the cake. Addition of molasses makes the cake very christmasy( if that is any word).
Brush the cake with warm and thinned jam to give it a nice and shiny look. It also prevents the apple slices from drying out.
I made this cake for an impromptu potluck lunch with my friends and they finished the cake in one go.
Recipe adapted from Joy of Baking.
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Ingredients
All Purpose Flour 1 1/2 cups
Baking Soda 1/2 tsp
Baking Powder 1 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon Powder 3/4 tsp
Ginger Powder 1/2 tsp
Cloves Powder 1/8 tsp( optional)
Nutmeg grated 1/8 tsp(optional)
Lemon zest 1 tsp
Eggs 2 large
Flavourless oil 1/2 cup
Thick yogurt 3/4 cup
Molasses or Honey 2 tbsp
Raw Sugar 2/3 cup
Topping:
Apples 2 large
Lemon juice 1 tsp
Raw Sugar 1/2 tbsp
Jam Glaze
Mixed fruit or 1/4 cup
Apricot Jam
Water 1 tsp
Method
Grease and dust an 8" pan.
Line it with a parchment paper.
Peel, core, and cut the apples into thin (1/8 inch) slices.
Toss them in a tsp of lemon juice and keep them aside.
In a large bowl sieve flour, baking powder, baking soda and ground spices.
In a separate bowl, whisk eggs.
Now add in oil, yogurt, and molasses.
Whisk well.
Stir in the sugar.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry flour mixture.
Stir until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon or spatula.
Lay the apple slices on top of the batter, overlapping slightly.
Sprinkle with 1/2 tbsp raw sugar.
Bake in preheated oven at 180 degrees for about 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Each oven behaves differently so the baking time would vary.
Remove from oven and place on a wire rack.
Glaze
In a small saucepan heat the jam until boiling. Remove from heat and strain.
Add water. Mix.
To brown the apple slices you can place the cake in the oven again with just the top element on or on grill mode for 2-3 minutes.
Keep an eye on the cake after every minute else you might burn the apple slices.
With a silicon brush, lightly brush the top of the cake, both the cake and apple slices, with the glaze.
Serve it warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
I enjoy it as is with my cup of tea.