Olive Oil Apple Cake Food

OLIVE OIL APPLE CAKE WITH SPICED SUGAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour about 1 Tbsp. oil into a 9x5" loaf pan and coat bottom and sides with fingertips. Sprinkle granulated sugar onto sides and bottom of pan to lightly coat.
• Grate apples, peel and all, on the large holes of a box grater. Gather apples in a clean kitchen towel and wring out excess liquid. Be aggressive! You want them as dry as possible when they go into the batter.
• Whisk cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, and ginger in a medium bowl. Transfer 1/4 tsp. spice mixture to a small bowl; set aside. Add flour and baking powder to remaining spice mixture and whisk to combine.
• Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl. Continue whisking vigorously until lightened in color and thickened. Whisking with one hand and pouring with the other, slowly stream 1 cup oil into egg mixture until combined. Gently fold flour mixture into whipped eggs with a flexible rubber spatula just until combined, taking care not to overmix.
• Fluff up grated apples and scatter over batter. Gently fold to incorporate.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Add 2 tsp. granulated sugar to reserved spice mixture and mix to combine. Sprinkle spiced sugar evenly over top of batter.
• Bake cake until deep golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 60-70 minutes. Let cake cool in pan. Run a butter knife or offset spatula along edge of cake to loosen and invert onto a platter.
• Do Ahead: Cake can be made 3 days ahead (the flavor gets slightly more intense each day). Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

OLIVE OIL CAKE WITH HONEYED APPLES

Steps:

• Prepare the apples: Combine the wine, water, granulated sugar, honey, lemon zest and vanilla bean and seeds in a wide medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook, stirring to dissolve the sugar, about 5 minutes. Add the apples, stir to combine and simmer until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Carefully remove the apples with a slotted spoon to a large plate or small rimmed baking sheet. Continue to rapidly simmer the syrup until slightly thickened and reduced to about 1 cup, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Remove the vanilla bean. Transfer the apples and syrup to a shallow bowl and refrigerate until cold.
• Meanwhile, make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Brush a 9-inch round cake pan with olive oil; line the bottom with parchment paper and brush the parchment with olive oil. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Put the granulated sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until fully combined, about 1 minute. Add the olive oil and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Beat in the lemon juice, honey and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in two additions until smooth.
• Pour the batter into the pan and tap against the counter once or twice to remove any air bubbles. Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown and the center springs back when gently pressed, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 15 minutes in the pan, then turn out the cake onto the rack, remove the parchment and let cool completely.
• Transfer the cake to a platter and dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into wedges and serve with the apples and syrup.

APPLE AND OLIVE OIL CAKE WITH MAPLE ICING

Steps:

• 1. Grease an 8-inch / 20-cm springform cake pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Place the raisins and water in a medium saucepan and simmer over low heat until all of the water has been absorbed. Leave to cool.
• 2. Preheat the oven to 325°F / 170°C. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and set aside.
• 3. Put the oil and superfine sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use a whisk if you don't have a mixer). Slit the vanilla bean lengthwise in half and, using a sharp knife, scrape the seeds out into the bowl. Beat the oil, sugar, and vanilla together, then gradually add the eggs. The mix should be smooth and thick at this stage. Mix in the diced apples, raisins, and lemon zest, then lightly fold in the sifted dry ingredients.
• 4. Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl, either by hand or with a mixer, until they have a soft meringue consistency. Fold them into the batter in 2 additions, trying to maintain as much air as possible.
• 5. Pour the batter into the lined pan, level it with an icing spatula, and place in the oven. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the plan.
• 6. Once the cake is completely cold, you can assemble it. Remove from the pan and use a large serrated knife to cut it in half horizontally. You should end up with 2 similar disks. If the cake is very domed, you might need to shave a bit off the top half to level it.
• 7. To make the icing, beat together the butter, muscovado sugar, and maple syrup until light and airy. You can do this by hand, or preferably, in a mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the cream cheese and beat until the icing is totally smooth.
• 8. Using the icing spatula, spread a layer of icing 3/8 inch / 1 cm thick over the bottom half of the cake. Carefully place the top half on it. Spoon the rest of the icing on top and use the icing spatula to create a wavelike or any other pattern. Dust it with confectioners' sugar, if you like.

OLIVE OIL APPLE CAKES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
• 2. Combine dry ingredients into a medium-sized bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, add all wet ingredients and beat until smooth.
• 3. Add dry ingredients a quarter at a time; add orange zest and mix until smooth.
• 4. Pour batter into four mini lightly oiled baking pans or mini cast iron skillets. One large cake pan can also be used, though baking time may vary.
• 5. Arrange apple slices on top of each pan. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

APPLE & OLIVE OIL CAKE WITH MAPLE CREAM CHEESE ICING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 F (170 C). Grease an 8-inch (20cm) springform pan, then line the bottom and sides of it with baking parchment. If using, put the sultana raisins and the water in a saucepan and simmer on low heat until the water has been absorbed completely. Set aside to cool.
• Sift the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda into a bowl.
• Put the oil and sugar in a bowl. Split the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the bowl (or add extract). Whisk the oil, sugar and vanilla together (you could do this with an electric mixer with a paddle attachment). Gradually add the eggs to the mixture and mix until smooth and thick. Mix in the diced apples, sultanas and lemon zest. Add the dry ingredients, folding in gently (you can do this all at once).
• In a clean bowl whisk the egg whites until they have a soft meringue consistency. Gently fold them into the batter, in 2 additions.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the surface. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. When completely cooled, remove the cake from the tin and cut in half horizontally using a large serrated knife to form 2 discs.
• To make the icing, beat together the butter and maple syrup and sugar until light and airy. Next add in the cream cheese and beat until it's totally smooth (preferably with the whisk attachment). Use half of the icing to the sandwich the cakes together, and smooth the remaining frosting up on top.