Apple Olive Oil Cake

Popular worldwide, variants of the humble apple cake have brought joy to the kitchen table for centuries.

Photographs: Natasha Liviero / Pexels

Text: Natasha Liviero

Apple Olive Oil Cake

Makes 1 x 23cm cake

Ingredients:

230g white granulated sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

160g olive oil

3 XL eggs

5g lemon extract

210g flour

1g salt

15g baking powder

2g cinnamon

2g nutmeg (optional)

3 apples

230g plain, full-cream yoghurt/Greek yoghurt

Method:

1. Set oven to 1800C. Line the base and grease a 23cm loose-bottom springform cake tin.

2. Zest the lemon, and then massage the zest into the sugar with your fingertips.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, blend the sugar, olive oil, eggs and lemon extract with a paddle attachment for 8 minutes until thick, creamy and doubled in volume.

4. Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg if using.

5. Peel and core the apples. Cut two apples into 1cm cubes. Quarter the third apple and slice thinly to decorate the cake's top.

6. Gently fold the yoghurt and cubed apples into the mixture with a spatula or wooden spoon. Do not over-mix!

7. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the mixture until just combined. Do not over-mix, or the cake's texture will be dense and gooey.

8. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface.

9. Place the sliced apples in a decorative pattern over the surface of the cake, pressing lightly to prevent the apples from lifting while baking.

10. Bake for 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cover lightly with a piece of tinfoil if the cake begins to brown on the surface.

11. Cool cake in the tin.

12. Sprinkle with a dusting of icing/confectioners sugar before serving.

13. This cake keeps well for 3 days in an airtight container.

* Can be served with whipped cream.