Portuguese Simple Rustic Cinnamon Apple Cake

Yay cake, who doesn’t love a beautiful cake! Hahahaha And this one turned out phenomenal (of course, huhum), and I think this type of cake with fruit in the batter always tends to come out just right. As long as the proportions are correct, the extra moisture from the fruit leaves the cake more tender, and if you add more fruit on top with cinnamon heheh it becomes truly rustic and delicious. You won’t see this type of cake for sale in a pâtisserie, it’s not pretty enough, but for me these kinds of cakes are always the best! ;D

To be honest, this kind of recipe just shows that you don’t need fancy ingredients and elaborate recipes to create delicious, healthier, real cakes. We tend to call them rustic because they use fruits and are simpler recipes, but in my opinion they’re more delicious than those triple layer red velvet cakes with cream cheese frosting and oreo cookies. Sure, sometimes those are fun, but for me, they never leave me really happy and satisfied. These fruit cakes, though? They hit different. The apple bakes into the batter, creating pockets of sweet tenderness, while the cinnamon-sugar top gets all caramelized and crispy. It’s the kind of cake that makes your kitchen smell like home and your taste buds dance with joy hahaha I’m even creating poetry just by thinking about it! 🙂 Let’s get to the recipe!

Portuguese Simple Rustic Cinnamon Apple Cake

Servings: 16
Time: 1hr
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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Who doesnt love a crumbly slighly sweet moist apple cake? Who is this person? Whats wrong with him? Hehehehe

Ingredients

Apples – 2 large
Sugar – 100g
Eggs – 2
Milk – 125ml
Sunflower oil – 80ml
Flour – 180g
Baking powder – 1 Teaspoon
Butter – For Greasing
Lemon – Juice (optional, for the sliced apples)
Brown Sugar – For Sprinkling
Cinnamon – For Sprinkling
Salt – A Pinch

Directions

Start by peeling and chopping one of the apples and peeling and finely slicing the other apple. Set aside. If you are concerned about the apple oxidizing, pour a little lemon juice over it (or cut it after the oven is pre-heated and the dough is ready to put on the mold).

In a bowl, combine the sugar and eggs and whisk well until creamy. Add half the milk and oil, followed by half the flour and baking powder. Mix well, then add the rest of the milk, oil, flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Mix until smooth and creamy.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350°F) and line a rectangular pan with parchment paper and butter.

Add the finely diced apple to the batter, mix and pour into the pan, then cover the pan with sliced apples, sprinkle generously with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Finally, bake for 38 to 45 minutes until golden brown. Insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake, if it comes out dry, the cake is done. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool slightly before turning out of the mold. Bon appétit!

Notes: Use firm apples that hold up well when baking, such as Fuji, Gala, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith. Softer apples may turn mushy.

While sunflower oil is traditional, you can substitute with any neutral vegetable oil or even light olive oil or butter.

The alternating addition of wet and dry ingredients creates a lighter, fluffier texture. Don’t skip this step you want the flour to be well hydrated!

If the top is browning too quickly, but the center isn’t done, tent the cake loosely with aluminum foil for the remaining baking time.

This cake is delicious warm with a dollop of whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or even a simple dusting of powdered sugar. It’s also perfect for breakfast the next day with coffee, and its dense enough that you can cut slices and toast it in a toaster!

Feel free to add a handful of raisins or chopped walnuts to the batter, or swap some of the cinnamon for a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom.

Keep covered at room temperature for 2-3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week. The cake actually gets more tender as it sits!

This recipe for Portuguese Simple Rustic Cinnamon Apple Cake was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Bolo Rústico de Maçã foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.