This moist apple cake is low in calories and saturated fat, which means you can afford to have two slices!
Ingredients
- 1kg cooking apples, such as bramleys
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 50ml sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
- 100g plain flour
- 100g wholemeal flour
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg
- 225g golden caster sugar
- 100g raisins
- 50g walnut pieces
For the frosting
- 250g quark (virtually fat-free soft cheese)
- 25g caster sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting
- 12 walnut halves (optional)
Method
- 1. Peel, core and slice the apples and put in a non-stick saucepan. Add the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water. Cover and cook over a low heat until broken down into a purée. Uncover, increase the heat slightly and cook for 5 minutes or so, stirring, to cook off the excess moisture. Set aside to go cold.
- 2. Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan140°C/gas 3. Grease and baseline a non-stick 20cm springform tin with baking paper. Sift the flours, bicarbonate of soda, spices and sugar into a mixing bowl, plus any bran left in the sieve. Stir in the raisins and walnuts. Weigh out 550g apple purée and stir into the dry ingredients with the oil.
- 3. Spoon the mixture into the tin, level the top and bake on the middle shelf for 55-60 minutes, until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.
- 4. Meanwhile, put the frosting ingredients – except the walnuts – in a bowl and beat until smooth. Cover and chill.
- 5. Take out the cake and cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to go cold. Spread over the frosting, sprinkle with more cinnamon and decorate with walnuts.
Nutritional info
Per serving (based on 16): 211kcals, 6.6g fat (0.7g saturated), 4.8g protein, 35.4g carbs, 24.5g sugar, 0.5g salt.