Italian apple layer cake flavoured with lemon and rosemary

Apple and Rosemary Cake Recipe

60 Minutes
Serves: 8

A delicious apple and rosemary cake packed with layers of freshly sliced apples, cooked and decorated with powdered sugar. The apples and lemon add a hint of sharpness complimented by the subtle rosemary flavour..

Recipe Ingreds

Cake

  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 100 grams butter
  • 350 grams cooking apples
  • 4 whole egg
  • 2 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 0.5 whole lemon
  • 150 grams plain flour
  • salt (to taste)
  • 150 grams caster sugar
  • 10 grams icing sugar

Recipe with pictures Steps

Step 1

  • set the oven to 180C 350F or gas mark 4
  • using a small amount of the butter, grease the cake tin. cut out a circle of grease proof paper the same size as the tin place in the tin. Cut a strip of paper to line the sides of the tin.
  • melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave, or in a small pan
  • set a side

Step 2

  • peel and core the apples
  • thinly slice the apple
  • cover with cling film

Step 3

  • sieve together the flour, baking powder and salt
  • wash and finely chop the fresh rosemary
  • zest the lemon(s)

Step 4

  • place a pan of boiling water on the heat
  • put the eggs and caster sugar in a heatproof bowl
  • place the bowl over the pan of simmering water and whisk until the mixture is thick and pale
  • Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk until the mixture is cool
  • gently fold half the flour, half the lemon zest and half the rosemary into the sugar and egg mixture

Step 5

  • slowly mix in the melted butter into the cake mixture
  • fold in the remaining mixture of flour, lemon zest ,and rosemary
  • fill half the cake tin with the sponge mixture
  • Place the sliced apples in a layer on top of the sponge
  • Add the remaining sponge mixture to the cake tin and level the top
  • place in the oven
  • bake for 40 mins

Step 6

  • remove the cake from the oven
  • test the cake using a skewer it should come out clean
  • rest the cake in the tin for 5 minutes
  • remove the cake from the tin
  • place on a cooling rack

Step 7

  • decorate with sifted icing sugar

Recipe Utensils

  • 1 bowl
  • 1 chopping board
  • 1 cling film
  • 1 cooling rack
  • 1 deep cake tin (9 inch/23 cms)
  • 1 grater
  • 1 grease proof paper
  • 1 hand mixer
  • 1 large knife
  • 1 sieve
  • 1 small pan
  • 1 small pan or bowl

More recipes you might like: Around the World, Desserts

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How to make apple and rosemary cake  

The cake is made by beating together the eggs and sugar till light and fluffy and then folding in the flour and melted butter. The cake is flavoured with lemon, fresh apple and rosemary. The cake uses dessert apples finely sliced and placed in the middle of the cake mixture in a layer. When the cake is cooked it is left to cool and lightly dusted with icing sugar. This recipe is perfect for a classic Italian menu.

What makes our apple and thyme sponge the best

Our sliced apple layer cake is different from most apple cakes because it is a sweet sponge flavoured with rosemary, although traditionally in Italy it is not unusual to find sweet cakes with herbs. The star ingredient along with the rosemary is the use of fresh apples which makes this light and deliciously moist.

How and when to serve our homemade apple cake

This is simple to prepare and doesn't need any complicated decoration, it is perfect for afternoon tea or as a dessert for a traditional Italian dinner party. This sponge is suitable to serve in winter or summer, the lightness of the cake with its fresh apple taste means we usually serve it anytime between spring and autumn 

Other Apple Desserts

Apple and vanilla custard tart



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