Toffee Apple Cake Food

TOFFEE APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Start by making the cakes. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line 2 x 18cm springform cake tins with baking parchment and brush with a little oil. Put the sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl and whisk with electric beaters until glossy and pale. Keep the beaters running as you pour in the oil.
• Stir in the grated apple, then fold in all the other cake ingredients. Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• While the cakes cook, prepare the apple filling. Tip the lemon juice into a large bowl and fill halfway with cold water. Peel the apples, then cut into spheres using a melon baller - pop them in the bowl of lemon water as you go to stop them discolouring. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, dark brown sugar, golden syrup, cinnamon and 200ml water, and heat until boiling. Take the apple balls out of the water and put them in the pan -if you want to make the tiny toffee apples for the top, keep 8 apple balls in the water until needed. Bring the mixture in the pan back to the boil for 8 - 10 mins or until the apples are soft but not losing their shape, and a thick syrup starts to form. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely, then chill until needed.
• Stir all the syrup ingredients together in a bowl. When the cakes are cooked, keep them in the tin but prick holes all over the surface with a skewer and drizzle the syrup over. Leave the cakes to cool completely in the tin.
• While the cakes cool, make the icing. In a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the butter and white chocolate together. Once melted and glossy, pour into a large bowl. Add the cream cheese, whisk until smooth, then add the vanilla. Finally, fold in the yogurt. When the mixture is cool, chill until needed.
• To assemble the cake, take the cooled sponges out of their tins and put one of them on a cake stand. Top with half the white chocolate icing - use a spoon or pipe it using a very large round nozzle. Scatter the cooked apple pieces, along with a drizzle of the syrup, over the icing, then place in the fridge to firm up for 15 mins. Add the top layer of the cake, then decorate with the rest of the icing by piping it in lots of regular little mounds all over the top using a large round nozzle. Put the whole cake in the fridge until ready to serve. Will keep for 2 days in the fridge.
• For a showstopping, but optional, finish, make some beautiful miniature toffee apples. Their effect is stunning but fleeting, so make them just before serving your cake, as the caramel will dissolve quickly due to the moisture in the air. Brush a baking tray with a little vegetable oil and set aside. Very thoroughly dry the reserved apple balls from step 3 of the cake with kitchen paper or a clean tea towel and insert a long wooden skewer into each one.
• Put the caster sugar in a small saucepan over a medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar melts. Keep cooking until the sugar has become a liquid golden caramel, then remove from the heat. If it looks like it's getting too hot, sit the base of the pan in a heatproof dish of cold water.
• Tilt the pan and, working quickly (as the sugar will continue to cook), hold the apple balls by the skewer and dip each one in turn into the caramel and twist it around to coat it. It's really important that the apple balls are well dried and that you don't turn them in the hot caramel more than twice, otherwise the apple will cook and release liquid, which will stop the caramel from sticking. As soon as they are coated, slowly lift them out vertically. Hold the apple up out of the pan and pause before transferring it to the oiled tray on its side. Holding it up like this will allow a long drip of caramel to set hard and create a beautiful long spike. Repeat the process with the rest of the apples, working quickly so that the caramel doesn't harden completely before all the apples have been coated. However, don't worry too much as you can always gently reheat it over a low heat before continuing - just be careful not to burn it, otherwise it will taste bitter.
• After a couple of minutes, the apples should have set. When they are cool enough to handle, pull out the skewers. Place the apples on top of the cake so that the spike is pointing upwards and the base of the apple (where the skewer was) is pressed into the icing. Serve immediately.

TOFFEE APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Butter a 1.2 litres/2 pint heatproof bowl and dust with flour. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• In a bowl, mix the flours, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon together. In a separate bowl or jug, beat together the oil, milk and eggs. Pour this onto the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in the apple and toffee pieces.
• Pour into the prepared dish and bake for 50-60 minutes. Test the cake is cooked through by inserting a skewer into the centre, if it is cooked it will come out clean.
• Leave in the dish to cool for 10 minutes then turn the cake out. Leave to cool completely and serve.

APPLE COFFEE CAKE WITH CRUMBLE TOPPING AND BROWN SUGAR GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter.
• In a large bowl, cream together the remaining stick of butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after the addition of each. In a separate bowl or on a piece of parchment, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the apples. Pour into the prepared baking dish, spreading out to the edges.
• To make the topping, in a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter, and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.
• To make the glaze, in a bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water and mix until smooth. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let harden slightly. Serve warm.

TOFFEE APPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly grease and flour a 9x9-inch baking dish or cake pan using butter and flour.
• To create the topping: This mixuture goes into the baking dish first. Mix brown sugar and butter in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and warm over medium-low heat; stir constantly until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted. Remove from heat and pour mixture into the bottom of the prepared 9x9-inch baking dish or cake pan. Arrange apple slices over the toffee mixture, in whatever pattern is pleasing to the eye. Set aside.
• To make the cake: In a large mixing bowl and using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar at low to medium speed until mixture is smooth and blended. Gradually blend in eggs and beat until pale and fluffy.
• In another medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture, stirring gently by hand until batter is combined. Stir in grated apples and toasted walnuts until incorporated.
• Pour batter over toffee apple topping already in the baking dish or cake pan. If necessary, carefully move batter around until evenly distributed over topping. Place baking dish into a preheated 350 degree F oven and bake for 30-40 minutes depending on the accuracy of your oven. Cake is done when it no longer jiggles, is firm, and top (which will become the bottom) turns golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center and near edges of cake should also come out clean.
• When cake is done, remove from oven and allow to cool in baking dish for approximately 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of baking dish to loosen sides of cake. Place serving plate over the top of baking dish; holding the serving plate and baking dish firmly together, carefully invert until serving plate is on bottom and baking dish is resting on top. Gently lift baking dish from serving plate, jiggling if necessary, to loosen cake and leave it intact on the serving plate. At this point, the cake will be "upside down" with toffee apple topping showing.
• For best results, serve cake warm or at room temperature, with a side of French vanilla ice cream or whipped topping, if desired. Cake is best served fresh in one sitting, but will keep covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Gently warm before re-serving.

APPLE CAKE WITH TOFFEE CRUST

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform tube pan. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the salt and baking soda. In a large bowl, whisk the oil with the granulated sugar. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Add the dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Fold in the diced apples with a rubber spatula. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the lower third of the oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the butter, cream and brown sugar and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring. Remove the toffee glaze from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
• Place the warm cake (still in its pan) on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the hot glaze over the cake and let it seep into the cake, poking lightly with a toothpick. Let the cake cool completely, about 2 hours. Invert the cake onto a plate, and invert again onto another plate, right side up.
• Meanwhile, make the toffee sauce: (This is optional, in my opinion.) In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Using a moistened pastry brush, wash down any sugar crystals on the side of the pan. Cook without stirring until a medium-amber caramel forms, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and quickly but carefully stir in the cream and butter. Simmer the sauce over moderate heat for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in the brandy. Pour the toffee sauce into a pitcher.
• Make the caramelized apples: In a large skillet, melt the butter and the brown sugar. Add the apples and cinnamon and cook over moderately high heat, turning the apples once or twice, until they are tender and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the water to dissolve the caramel in the skillet, then transfer the caramelized apples to a plate.
• Slice the cake and serve with the caramelized apples, toffee sauce (opt.), and vanilla ice cream (opt.).
• Make ahead: The unmolded cake can be stored in an airtight container overnight at room temperature. The toffee sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week; reheat gently before serving. The apples can be made up to 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature.

SPICED TOFFEE APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line a 20 x 30cm baking tray with baking parchment. Put the dates and milk in a small pan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and set aside for 15 mins to cool.
• Whizz the date mixture to a smooth purée in a food processor or blender, then scrape into a large mixing bowl. Tip in the butter, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, eggs, mixed spice and vanilla, and set aside while you prepare the apples.
• Quarter and core the apples, then slice quite thinly, tossing in a little lemon juice as you go. Quickly beat together the cake ingredients with an electric whisk until smooth, then scrape into the baking tray. Arrange the apple slices, overlapping in rows, on top of the cake - you should be able to get 3 rows lengthways down the tray. Bake for 45-50 mins until a skewer poked into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tray.
• Put the toffees in a small pan with a good splash of milk and gently melt, stirring, until runny. To finish, dust with a little icing sugar, then drizzle sauce all over the cake. Cut into squares or slices to serve.