Spiced Apple Brandy PuddyCake - Pudding Cake

Apples, cinnamon and a splash of brandy are baked into a delicious Puddycake that performs equally well as an afternoon tea indulgence or a warm dessert. This is a delicious way of using apples that have just lost their crispness and are languishing in your fruit bowl and is my version of David Herbert's "French style apple cake".  Your house will be filled with comforting spiced aromas when this cake is baking - irresistible!   Enjoy!   Colleen

SpiceApple PuddyCake Feed Your Inner Cook

SpiceApple PuddyCake Feed Your Inner Cook

Spiced Apple PuddyCake by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation  10 minutes
Cooking         45 - 60 min depending on your oven and tin size

Ingredients
4 large or 6 medium apples: peeled, cored and diced approx 1. 1/2 cm
I use a mix of red apple varieties.  
a splash of lemon juice to toss over cut apples to prevent browning
125 gram Butter - melted then cooled to room temperature
125 gram Plain Flour
pinch salt
3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
2 large eggs - room temperature
150 gram sugar   PLUS a tablespoon extra to sprinkle over before baking
3 tablespoons Brandy
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Option: Flaked Almonds for topping

Method
Preheat oven to 155-160℃ fan and grease and line base of 20-22cm springform tin.
Melt butter and allow to return to room temperature. Set aside.
Dice the apples and toss with lemon juice in a medium bowl.
In a different medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and spices.

Using either an electric mixer or by hand in a large bowl - whisk the eggs til pale and foamy.
Whisk in sugar, brandy and vanilla.
Then whisk in half the sifted flour mixture.
Stir through half the cooled melted butter.
Then stir through the remaining flour mixture , then the remaining butter.
Lightly fold through the diced apples so they are coated with the batter.
Pour into prepared tin and smooth top of mixture.
Sprinkle with the additional sugar if desired  and/or flaked almonds if desired.
Bake approx 45 - 60 minutes.  Check at 45 min by inserting a skewer into centre of cake and it comes out clean meaning it is cooked.  If not, return to oven and check every 5 minutes until cooked.
Place tin on a cake rack to cool and leave for 10 minutes.
Carefully run an offset metal spatula or a knife around edge to loosen from cake tin.
Open spring and carefully remove cake from tin.  It is quite delicate at this stage.

Option:  dust with icing sugar to serve.  I don't as baked sugary crystals are sweet enough.

Serve warm as a dessert with your choice of cream, custard or ice-cream
or
allow to cool and serve slices for afternoon tea.
                                    Enjoy!   Colleen