This cake is totally for apple lovers: one of the absolute lightest and simplest desserts I ever recall making. Apples account for a good 70% of the whole cake and the rest are just very few, simple ingredients that hold together the apple slices.
The main and dominant ingredient is indeed the apple, everything else is just meant to hold together those thin slices. That’s what makes this cake so light, simple in taste and yet incredibly yummy! Definitely one of those cakes that you won’t feel guilty for having an extra slice of!
It comes from an old book of traditional Italian recipes written by an Italian-American, that I accidentally found in our storage a few weeks before: I did give it a healthy twist by replacing ingredients like butter, white flour and white sugar with healthier alternatives, like I usually do. I was a bit worried that it wouldn’t turn out that good, but I was gladly wrong, it came out just perfect and incredibly moisty!
I made this cake for Pablo’s birthday and it only lasted 2 days: I looked at the giant slice of cake he had this morning for breakfast and I was a bit upset that he went in for such a huge slice leaving only one left on the plate Oh well … I guess that means it was really good!!If I had to give a suggestion, that would be to slice the apples as thin as possible: if you have a Julienne cutter, definitely use that to slice your apples.
Print Recipe
Grandma's Apple Cake
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F and vest with parchment paper an 8” spring pan (a 9” will work as well and that’s what I used, but the cake will be slightly shorter).
Peel, quarter and slice the apples very thinly – as I said above – a Julienne cutter would be ideal. Pour the lemon juice over the apples and let them sit in the juice while you put together the other ingredients.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs (at room temperature), the coconut sugar and the lemon zest: you need to beat them until they’re fluffy and mousse-like. The whisks should leave a trail on the mousse, that’s when you can tell you’re done whisking (took me about 10 minutes)!
Sift half of the spelt flour, all of the baking powder and the salt over the egg mixture and gently mix with a spatula, from bottom to top, trying not to “break” the mousse. Slowly add the melted coconut oil and continue to mix.
Sift the remaining flour in and gently fold it with your spatula, till everything is evenly incorporated.
Add the egg and flour mix to the apples and start mixing gently, then pour the whole batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let it cool down to room temperature, then sprinkle with cinnamon (or some sugar if you’d like) and serve. Excellent with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, with a cup of tea or coffee!
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