Apple Rose Cake

This apple rose cake is soft, tender and is topped with lots of sliced red apples arranged to form a rose! It's finished off with warm honey syrup and a light dusting of icing sugar. A stunning dessert for your table this Autumn!

Prep:
20 minutes
rest:
CHILL:
RISE:
Cook:
45 minutes
TOtal:
1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

FOR THE APPLE ROSE
  • 3-4 medium-sized Red Apples( I used Gala apple)
  • 50 g (4 tbsp) Light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Lemon juice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
  • 42 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
FOR THE CAKE
  • 195 g (1 1/2 cup) Plain flour/all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp (8 g) Baking powder
  • 2 eggs Uk medium sizes (total weight without shell = 120g)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 85 g (1/3 cup) unsalted butter, softened 
  • 125 g (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) granulated sugar 
  • 80 ml (1/3 cup) full fat Milk/whole milk
FOR HONEY SYRUP (to brush on top of the cake)
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp water
FOR DUSTING ON TOP
  • 2-3 tbsp Icing sugar/powdered sugar 

Instructions

TO MAKE APPLE ROSE
  1. Wash the apples. Cut them in halves, remove the core and make thin slices.
  2. In a large microwave-safe bowl, stir together the brown sugar, lemon juice, ground Cinnamon and melted butter until combined. Toss with the apple slices and microwave for about 2-2 1/2 minutes until soft and pliable but not falling apart. Toss again and set aside while you prepare the cake batter.
THE CAKE
  1. Preheat the Fan oven to 155C/311F (For a conventional oven, 175C/347F). 
  2. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round springform cake pan with baking paper (parchment paper).
  3. Sift plain flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
  4. Beat softened butter and sugar for at least 2 minutes on medium. Then add eggs (one at a time), vanilla extract and beat after each addition. Make sure to scrape the bowl so the butter gets well mixed in.
  5. Add in dry ingredients and milk, and alternate these 2 ingredients, starting with dry ingredients and ending with dry ingredients. Beat on low after each addition until it is combined (avoid over-mixing).
  6. Pour the batter into the cake pan and level the top with a spatula. Tap it gently on the kitchen counter to remove air bubbles.
  7. NOW THE FUN PART BEGINS! Arrange the apple slices in circles over the batter. Starting from the outside and going towards the centre, arrange the apple slices in an upright position while pressing down a little into the batter. After completing one circle, start next in front of two joined slices. Keep overlapping the slices while making circles until you reach the centre. Gently fold an apple slice and place it in the centre top of the cake to finish it off.
  8. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean and the top of the cake turns slightly golden brown.
  9. Make honey syrup by heating water, honey and sugar together in a microwave until the sugar dissolves. Gently brush the warm syrup on top of the cake while it is still warm and allow it to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, remove springform and butter paper, and let it cool completely before slicing.
  10. Lightly dust with icing sugar (sifted) and make slices using a sharp knife. Enjoy!