Recipe
Apple, date and honey cake recipe
This glorious fruit-packed cake is pure afternoon tea perfection.
By Michael Rantissi & Kristy Frawley
My apple, date and honey cake requires minimal effort but has maximum impact. The apples can be replaced with pears, apricots, figs or poached quinces, and the dates can be swapped for any other dried fruit.
Serves 8-10
Ingredients for apple, date and honey cake recipe
oil spray for greasing
200 g butter
120 g almond meal
80 g plain flour, sifted
10 dried dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
6 egg whites
220 g (1 cup) caster sugar
30 g flaked almonds
4 tablespoons honey (optional, see Notes)
CARAMEL APPLES
60 g caster sugar
2 tablespoons honey
30 g butter, cubed
3 large red apples, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges
How to make apple, date and honey cake
Preheat the oven to 170°C. Spray a 24 cm spring form cake tin with oil and line the base with baking paper. Spray the paper with oil. To make the caramel apples, put the sugar and honey in a large frying pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture forms a golden caramel – about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the butter and stir until melted. Add the apple wedges and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the apples are golden and the sugar syrup is sticky. Stir only once or twice during cooking so they don’t break up. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
To make the cake batter, cook the butter in a separate frying pan over medium heat for 10–12 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside. Put the almond meal, flour and dates in a bowl. Stir until the dates have separated and are evenly coated in the almond meal and flour.
Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.Gradually add the sugar and whisk until medium peaks form, about 5 minutes.Gently pour the browned butter over the date mixture and stir to combine, then fold in the egg white mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Arrange the cooked apple wedges on top, trying not to add any excess liquid (reserve the liquid to drizzle over the cooked cake). Scatter the flaked almonds over the apple and bake for 30–35 minutes, until the cake is golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 20 minutes. Drizzle the honey or reserved caramel over the cake and serve warm or at room temperature.
NOTES:
You can use the leftover liquid from the caramel apples to drizzle over the cooked cake instead of using honey. You can also make this into a slice by cooking it in a 20 x 30cm cake tin.
Citro food tip
Make this cake look extra fancy by serving it with whipped cream on top.
Images and text from Middle Eastern Feasts by Michael Rantissi & Kristy Frawley, photography by Alan Benson. Murdoch Books RRP $39.99.
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