Apple and Cinnamon Cake

365 days, 241 posts and more than 8,000 comments later, I am making this Apple and Cinnamon Cake again.

This humble cake was the very first recipe I posted for my blog. That was exactly a year ago. It was also the first picture I have submitted to Foodgawker and Tastespotting.

I used a point-and-shoot camera. The shot was taken at night. I knew nothing about food styling, food photography, composition, light, contrast, exposure..... Of course, the shot was rejected. And many more rejections followed. It didn't make me quit. It deterred me to strive for improvement and perfection.

My first post was merely a few photos, accompanied by the recipe. Not a single word written by me. I was afraid to write. The feeling of writing in a language I didn't grow up with is daunting. How was I going to overcome spelling mistakes, grammar errors and limited vocabulary? Then came the next post, I wrote one paragraph. ONE. It was a start. And the rest, is history.

Apple and Cinnamon Cake Recipe

Ingredients

180 g (6 oz) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup (95 g / 3 oz) soft brown sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup (125 g / 4 oz) self-raising flour
1/2 cup (75 g / 2 1/2 oz) plain flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (125 ml / 4 fl oz) milk
410g (13 oz) can pie apple
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, extra
1 tbsp soft brown sugar, extra
1/4 cup (25 g / 3/4 oz) flake almonds

Method

1. Preheat the oven to moderate 180C (350F / Gas 4). Grease the base and side of a 20 cm (8 inch) springform pan, and line the base with baking paper.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in a small bowl with electric beaters until light and fluffy. Add the eggs gradually, beating thoroughly after each addition.
3. Transfer the mixture to a larger bowl. Using a metal spoon, fold in sifted flours and cinnamon alternately with the milk. Stir until the mixture is just combined and almost smooth.
4. Spoon half the mixture into the tin,top with three-quarters of the pie apple, then the remaining cake mixture.
   
   

   

5. Press the remaining pie apple around the edge of the top. Combine the extra cinnamon, sugar and flaked almonds and sprinkle over the cake.
   
   

   

6. Bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake. Leave in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

Note: Canned apricots can be used instead of apples, if preferred.