Walnut And Apple Cake

For years, the Australian Women's Weekly mag has been a great source of inspiration for my baking adventures (and misadventures, especially when I forget to convert the measurements accordingly! They've got bigger cups and spoons, those Australians, I tell ya). Of course, now there's the AFC channel, lispy Jamie Oliver, sensuous Nigella Lawson etc to fire up the "ever eager to try out new recipes" baker in me.

I was going through back-dated copies of my Australian Women's weekly mag and found this oh so scrumptious cake! I just had to try it out though the granny smith apples I had in the fridge were initially intended for a pie... I don't regret the trade-off one bit. Though it calls for oil instead of butter, the cake tasted absolutely divine ... I substituted the not so easy to find walnut oil with soya lite oil and the taste in my opinion was not affected. Just as scrumptious, believe me. A couple of slices found their way to the office and very soon after I was besieged with smses for the recipe. So, this is for the wonderful ladies at the office, Ratna and Yusma. And Hajar too, if she bakes! Enjoy the baking, ladies!



Walnut and apple cake

1 1/2 cups (180g) walnuts
4 (600g) granny Smith apples
1 teaspoon butter
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1/2 cup (125ml) Calvados or brandy (because i don't touch the stuff, I substituted with apple juice)
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups (300g) firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup walnut oil ( substitute with soy/corn/sunflower etc oil)
1 1/2 cups (225g) self-raising flour
3/4 cup (110g) plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to moderate (160 deg C) Place walnuts on an oven tray and bake for about 10 minutes. or until fragrant. Cool walnuts slightly, then chop. Increase the oven temperature to 180 deg. C. Grease a deep 22cm round cake pan then line the base with baking paper. (which I didn't do, hehe)
2. Peel the apples and cut into 1 cm cubes. Heat the butter and caster sugar in a non-stick frying pan, add the apples and cook, stirring until caramelised. Add two tablespoons of the brandy/apple juice then remove from the heat and cool while preparing the cake batter.
3. Beat the eggs and the egg yolks in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Gradually add the brown sugar and beat the mixture until light and fluffy, about 8 minutes. Slowly beat in the oil in a thin stream until it is combined then beat in the remaining brandy/apple juice.
4. Stir in the combined flours and the salt over the surface of the egg mixture and fold in gently until combined, then gently fold in the nuts and apples. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake in a moderate oven for about 1 hour 10 minutes ( think mine was out in less, so please check after 50 minutes, or so) or until the cake is cooked when tested with a skewer. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
5. Dust the cake with some sifted icing sugar and serve warm with ice-cream or cream, if desired.