Yesterday, one year ago, Chris and I were married. It’s hard to believe that we have been married for a whole year! And what a year – during which we traveled to Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, back to China for Chris to start work, then to Europe and the Middle East, and then back to China for us both to start working at the university. We have certainly been globe-trotters this year – my thought is, we need to get it out of our system before babies come and tie us down!
One year ago, we had the most beautiful wedding I’ve ever been to, and began our great adventure as a married couple. I still remember distinctly the sun shining warm and sweet on our special day (odd for October in Toronto), the flurry of creamy satin and jewelry and curling irons, and my honey watching me come down the aisle. It was perfect.
What did we do to celebrate? We spent a low-key day just hanging out, and had a home-cooked dinner at home, with candlelight and wine and steak, and just enjoyed each other’s company. And we had this apple cake.
I got the recipe from Smitten Kitchen – one of my favorite food blogs. I halved the recipe to fit in my little toaster oven, and it turned out wonderful. A moist, flavorful coffee cake with soft chunks of cinnamon-y apple. The flavour and moistness actually deepen as the cake sits, and it is actually better the next day.
Now I know that there seems to be a disproportionate amount of baked goods on this blog so far, as I LOVE baking! But I promise I will post other savory recipes soon. Find this apple cake recipe at Smitten Kitchen.
For those who want to bake it in a single loaf pan, like me, here are the ingredients I used (halved from the original with reduced sugar in the cake).
Cinnamon Apple Cake
3 apples
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice (I kept the original amount for this)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 325 F or 160 C. Grease a loaf pan (and line with greased parchment paper, if desired). Peel apples, cut into chunks. Mix with cinnamon and sugar.
In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In yet ANOTHER bowl, mix oil, OJ, sugar and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry, add eggs, and stir it all together.
Pour half of batter into loaf pan – batter will be stiff, so spread it around a bit. Dump half the apples on top, then add the rest of the batter. The rest of the apples go on the top of the cake, and you may want to arrange them somewhat evenly.
Bake 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, until toothpick comes out clean. If the apples are browning too fast, tent loosely with foil.
Wow the apple cake looks wonderful, I have to try it. Congratulations!
That cake looks delicious! I know exactly what to do with some of the apples I am picking this weekend!
Happy Anniversary!
Thanks both of you =).
First time visiting your site….Your wedding picture posted here looks very lovely!
Thanks for posting and for sharing!
Happy anniversary…many more years of joy and food!
Happy Anniversary to you and your hubby!
Thanks for the great recipe, I’ll be sure to try it!
I just came on tastespotting to see what to do with my leftover apples. I love Smitten Kitchen. Thanks – I’m making this today.
LOVE Smitten Kitchen – and that you halved this recipe to make it more friendly for those of us who aren’t baking for a house-full of people. Looks amazing. Totally making this to bring in to my office.
I just made a cake from SK as well, this apple cake is actually another one I am hoping to make soon. Seriously, I just love apple cake it’s a perfect reminder of this season and all it’s bounty. Your pictures made me want to make this cake even more, I imagine it was as good as your pictures look.
I’m still healing from a recent coffee cake disaster, but I think I’ll venture out with this. Looks delicious!
That cake looks absolutely gorgeous! moist and fragrant as well:)
It would be perfect for the sweet celebration contest I’m hosting on my blog. It would be great if you’d care to participate!
How I love this cake! Happy anniversary as well, what a gorgeous photo!
This is in my oven baking right now! Cannot wait to try it!
Hope it turned out well for you all! I’ve found that this cake is prone to dryness if overbaked, so check it early!
happy anniversary! and really, feasting on apple cake is a fabulous and completely appropriate way to celebrate the occasion.
Love reading your blogg. Camilla, I am amazed at all the wonderful dishes you produce in a toaster oven. Can’t wait for your guys to come visit.
That looks so delicious, you’re one hell of a cook! Would it ruin it if you added hot custard or even melted chocolate over the top of it?
Part of what is great about this cake is the caramelized sugar and cinnamon on the apples at the top of this cake – so I can’t really imagine it with more on the top. But if you do give it a try, let me know how it tastes!
Hi! Your cake looks amazing! I’m actually baking it right now in the fridge! Can i just ask, did you forget to half the amount of apples that go into this recipe as well. I cut up 3 apples but ended up using only 2 since it already look like a huge mound. When i put all 2 apples into the cake it seemed like there was more apple than cake left!
Just wondering! It smells ammmmazzinggg though! Can’t wait to try it!
Nope that’s not an error =). It’s a very apple-y cake, which is just what I love about it. I used 3 small-medium apples – perhaps yours were larger. Did you add the apples in two layers? Cause if you just pile them on top there will definitely be too much.
I’ve made this twice and it is very good =)
That cake looks absolutely gorgeous! moist and fragrant as well and looks so delicious:)
I’ve made this for my family and it was quite a hit. Back home we are used to chocolatey cakes, so it was a nice change. And very easy as well
PS: Next time I think I’ll follow Heather’s Christmas cake suggestion and pour melted chocolate all over it for double pleasure!
This looks amazing. I would expect to see something like this in a high end coffee shop. Looking forward to making it.
Wow! I made your recipe last night and it was AMAZING! Thanks so much for your great pictures too. My whole family loved the cake and the measurement of all the ingredients are just perfect! Oh and I must say it turned out exactly as in the picture.
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