Last week I visited my local apple orchard to get some freshly picked apples straight from the trees. I got some Cortland apples as they’re perfect for baking. Different apple recipes will call for different types of apples. However, my Myntra when it comes to buying apples is buy what is fresh, local and most importantly what you like.
CAN I PREPARE THIS APPLE WALNUT CAKE IN ADVANCE?
Yes, you definitely can. You can make this cake and store it in the refrigerator for a week. Before serving, simply reheat the cake for 30 seconds in the microwave and serve warm with a scoop of Vanilla Ice cream.
WHY USE ORANGE ZEST IN APPLE WALNUT CAKE?
Just like a dash of vanilla extract enhances the flavors of the bakes goods. I truly believe that a hint of orange in any apple recipe, brings out the fruitiness of the apples. This small step does make a good difference.
I am also linking the Black + Decker hand held mixture (affiliate link) that I used. Mine is an older version but this one does the same job and looks classier.
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Apple Walnut Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter (soften at room temperature)
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- ¼ tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Orange Zest
- 1 ¼ cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 2 Medium Apples (chopped)
- ½ cup Walnut (chopped)
- Vanilla Ice cream (to serve)
For decorating the cake:
- 3 tbsp Powdered Sugar
- 1-2 tsp full fat cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Take two 5-inch cake pans or one 10-inch cake pan, spray them with baking spray all over and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat ½ cup unsalted butter (soften at room temperature) and 1 cup granulated sugar using an electric mixture. Continue beating on medium speed for 3-4 mins or until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Now add 2 eggs, ¼ tsp Vanilla Extract to the same bowl and continue mixing using the electric mixture until eggs are well incorperated and the mixture is creamy and light.
- In another bowl, take 1 ¼ cup All-purpose flour, add 1 tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp Orange Zest and mix everything using a whisk. Now add 2 chopped Apples, ½ cup chopped walnuts and again mix everything ensuring that all apple pieces and walnuts are well coated with flour.
- Now add this dry mixture to the former large mixing bowl and fold in everything using a spatula. Do not over mix the batter. It might seem like the batter is too thick, but do not worry as the apples will release its moisture as they bake and the cake will come out perfectly.
- Now gently spoon the batter in two 5-inch cake pans (divided) or one 10-inch cake pan. Level the top using a spatula. Bake them for 40-45 mins or until toothpick inserted in center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cake pans and let them sit for 10 mins. Then gently remove them onto the cooling rack and let them cool for couple of more minutes.
- Meanwhile, you can make the sugar glaze to decorate the top of the cake. To make sugar glaze, take 3 tbsp powdered sugar in a bowl, add 1-2 tsp full fat cream and stir it vigorously using a whisk. The sugar glaze should be smooth and pourable. Drizzle it over the cake using a spoon or whisk itself and let it set for couple of minutes.
- Serve the apple walnut cake with a scoop of Vanilla Ice-cream!
Notes
- You can make this cake in advance and keep it in the refrigerator. Before serving, simply reheat the cake for 30 seconds in the microwave, and serve warm with a scoop of Vanilla Ice cream.
Too good, even though it seems to be a lengthy process