Apple Cake

Squeezed Apple & Cinnamon Cake

This deeply comforting apple cake features a brilliant technique: grating the apples with their skins on for maximum texture, then squeezing the pulp dry in a clean tea towel. This ensures you get an intense hit of real fruit flavor without a soggy bake. Top it off with a late sprinkle of granulated sugar for a brilliant, crunchy crust.

 * Prep time: 20 mins

 * Bake time: 60 mins

 * Servings: 8–10

Ingredients

For the Cake:

 * 8 apples (approx. 600g whole), grated with skins on

 * Juice of 1 lemon (to prevent browning)

 * 220g unsalted butter, softened

 * 200g soft brown sugar

 * 1 tsp ground cinnamon

 * 4 medium eggs (approx. 180g deshelled)

 * 250g self-raising flour

 * 1 tsp baking powder

 * Granulated sugar (for the crunchy top)

For the Adventurous Topping (Calvados Cream):

 * Mascarpone and Double cream (equal parts)

 * Sugar (to taste)

 * Vanilla extract (optional)

 * Calvados (apple brandy, to taste)

> Alternative: If you want to keep things traditional, skip the mix and serve with a generous dollop of rich clotted cream.

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Method

1. Prep the Apples

Grate the apples (leaving the skin on) directly into the lemon juice to prevent browning. Transfer the grated apple to a clean tea towel and squeeze out as much juice as you physically can. You want to be left with roughly 250g of dry, squeezed apple pulp.

2. Cream & Mix

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the 220g softened butter and 200g soft brown sugar until combined. Add the squeezed apple pulp and 1 tsp ground cinnamon, stirring well. Next, crack in the 4 medium eggs and mix thoroughly until the batter is completely blended.

3. Fold the Dry Ingredients

Sift in the 250g self-raising flour and 1 tsp baking powder. Gently fold the ingredients together until just combined. Do not overwork the batter—you want to avoid releasing the gluten to keep the cake's texture tender and light.

4. The Two-Stage Bake

Pour the batter into a prepared cake tin. Bake in the center of a fan oven at 170°C for 40 minutes. Carefully remove the cake, sprinkle the top generously with granulated sugar, and return it to the oven at 160°C for a further 20 minutes until the top is beautifully golden and crisp.

5. Whip the Calvados Cream

While the cake cools slightly, whip together the mascarpone, double cream, sugar, and a splash of vanilla (if using) until it holds soft peaks. Right at the end, fold in a generous splash of Calvados.

6. Serve

Leave the cake to cool slightly in the tin so it remains perfectly warm. Slice up and serve with a massive dollop of the Calvados cream.