Apple Spice Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup cake flour, sifted 1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon allspice 3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
1/2 teaspoon salt 1 Gala or Golden Delicious apple
2 large eggs Candied Orange Rind (optional; recipe follows)
Candied Orange Rind:
With vegetable peeler, carefully remove rind of an orange in wide strips, avoiding the bitter white part underneath. Cut strips into 1/8-thick strips and place in small pan with enough water to cover. Heat to boiling and cook 2 minutes. Drain orange strips and return to pan. Add 3 tablespoons sugar and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves into a thick syrup that coats orange strips. Cool before using.
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, allspice, cloves, and salt; set aside.
In large bowl, beat eggs, applesauce, brown sugar, olive oil, and orange rind until well blended. Stir in flour, mixing gently, until combined.
Pour cake batter into pan. Peel and core apple; cut lengthwise into 3/4-inch thick slices. Arrange slices in batter in a concentric circle like the spokes of a wheel. Bake until brown and firm 3/4 about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, if desired, prepared Candied Orange Rind.
To serve, invert pan to remove cake and place cake right side up on serving. (This cake is sturdy and easy to handle.) If desired, garnish center of cake with candied orange rind.
