Maple Apple and Walnut Cake Recipe

This cake has a very autumnal feel; maple, apples, cinnamon and walnuts are made for each other. Its so simple to make and looks gorgeous!

Ingredients

For the cake

4 Royal Gala apples, peeled and diced

juice of 1/2 a lemon

310g self raising flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

250ml Pure Maple Syrup, Dark Robust

3 eggs

200ml vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

125ml semi skimmed milk

80g plain yogurt

200g chopped walnuts

butter for greasing tin

Salted Maple Caramel

125ml Pure Maple Syrup, Dark Robust

2 tablespoon butter, room temperature

rock salt

Topping

2 Royal Gala apples, thinly sliced

juice of 2 oranges

caster sugar to sprinkle

handful chopped walnuts

Instructions

Grease a fluted tin with butter and preheat the oven to 160C.

Begin with preparing the apples. Peel and dice to about 5mm width and place in the lemon juice; coat the apples well. Dry the apple with paper towel and set aside.

In a large bowl, add the wet ingredients and whisk.

In another bowl weigh out the dry ingredients and sift.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and carefully mix with a spatula, followed by the apples and walnuts.

Pour into the tin and place in the oven. Bake for 70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before turning out of the tin.

Reduce the temperature of the oven to 140C.

For the topping, prepare the apples. Very carefully slice the apples thinly and place in the orange juice, covering well. Next place the apple slices on paper towel and pat dry. Spread them on 2 baking trays lined with greaseproof paper and sprinkle with a little caster sugar. Turn the apple slices over to coat in the remaining sugar on the tray. Put them in the oven for about 50 minutes until dried. Place the dried apple slices on a wire rack to cool.

Now place the chopped walnuts on the tray and place them into the oven for 5 minutes to toast.

Meanwhile begin making the maple caramel. Place a small sauce pan on medium heat for about a minute. Pour the maple syrup in the pan and add the butter. Gently stir the butter a little allowing it to melt. Now turn up the heat to bring to a boil. Heat until the mixture starts to coat the back of a spoon. Pour into a bowl and it will thicken as it cools. Add some salt to the cooled caramel.

Decorate the cake, starting with caramel, sprinkle the walnuts and top with apple slices.

Oh Yummmm!