Danish Apple Cake

The baking group I participate in (The Cake Slice Bakers) starts baking from a new book this month. "World Class Cakes" by Roger Pizey features recipes from around the world. The group's previous book was by Maida Heatter and I have been baking from her books for years (see my blog Mad About Maida). I learned quite a lot from Ms. Heatter but it is good to try my hand at some other recipes.

This month's selection of four recipes included
Chocolate and Rum Canneles (I didn't have the pans to make that), Maple Syrup and Pecan layer Cake (tempting) and Bee Sting Cake (I almost selected it). I opted instead for the Danish Apple Cake. This is a popular cake in Denmark.

The cake was fairly simple with just a few ingredients. It is made in a spring form pan. The batter was very thick and you press apple slices in the top (I used Granny Smith apples).

A sprinkling of brown sugar goes on top before baking.

The cake turned out nicely but was slightly underdone in the middle. The instructions say 35 minutes. I used my 8" inch spring form pan and am wondering if I should have tried the larger pan and it would have been thinner. I would add 5 or 10 minutes to the baking next time. I am still trying to get used to our gas oven! 

The cake is delicious and very pretty. I would definitely make it again. I am looking forward to trying more recipes from this book.

Danish Apple Cake

(from World Class Cakes by Roger Pizey, Race Point Publishing, 2013)

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup superfine sugar (I used regular sugar and ground it in a chopper)
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups self-rising flour, sifted
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 apples, peeled and cored and cut into 1/2 in. wedges

1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and line bottom of an 8-inch springform cake pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until well combined.

Add the sifted flour a little at a time on low speed. Fold in the raisins and then spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan. Press the apple wedges around the top of the cake, pushing them gently into the batter.

Sprinkle with brown sugar and bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven. Let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack in the pan, then remove the sides and parchment (or the parchment can be left if too difficult to move safely).

See what other Cake Slice bloggers have baked this month.

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Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy