Applesauce cake with baked apple slices on top

I am always looking for new apple recipes. I found this one in the German magazine Baking Heaven  but I added a few extra touches to suit my taste.

This cake is quite easy to put together and you can use your own creativity to change the basic recipe by adding raisins, nuts, spices, etc.

Japan has a large apple growing area in the north called Aomori which translates into blue forest. Apple juice is popular here, but apple cider isn't and I really miss the  taste of a hearty apple cider.

Most of the Aomori economy is based on apple growing and I've seen some creative ways to use apples -- more on that another time.

Apple cake with a dusting of cinnamon on top

Recipe:
120 grams softened butter
140 grams brown sugar
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla
300 grams apple sauce
260 grams flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate soda)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Add a dash of powdered ginger or cloves as you like

1. Sift together in a bowl the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda & spices.

2. Whisk the butter so it is soft and then add the eggs in portions to mix well.  Add in the applesauce and mix. Add in the flour mixture in portions.

3.  If you want to add extra apples inside the cake, peel and slice half an apple and fry lightly with some sugar until just softened. Slices should be about bite size (use about half an apple)

4. Peel & slice other half of the apple to make the decoration for the top

5. Add the slices from #3 above into the mixture and pour into a baking pan at least 18 - 20 cm in width. This cake will rise while it bakes so only fill the pan about 85% full. Make either one large cake or two smaller ones. Arrange the apple slices on top in a circle and cut a piece for the center.

6. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 45 minutes. Depending on the size of your pan, the time may be more or less.


Cake and coffee is a great combination

Arrange apples on top before baking to create a nice decoration