Apple coffee cake

Joao and I were watching TV during Carnival and the following dialogue took place:
“I want to cook something.”
“But we’ve already eaten.”
“I know, so maybe I’ll bake something. Maybe a cake.”
“Sure, honey, if you feel like it, go ahead”

I searched for something to inspire me and found a single apple in the fridge, so “lonely”, begging to be used – it was going to become a smoothie for Joao’s breakfast the next morning anyway. So I made this delicious cake, full of cinnamon and sugar on top.

I baked the cake in a removable bottom pan and it was easier to unmold it without ruining the apple topping.
Dip the slices in cold water containing lemon or lime juice to prevent browning.

I had a huge slice, hot from the oven, and it was hard not to devour the whole thing at once – it wouldn’t have been good to me to eat more, since it was 1:10am… :)

Apple coffee cake
from Sweet Food

Cake:
115g (½ cup) unsalted butter
150g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
210g (1 ½ cups) self-rising flour, sifted
185g (3/4 cup) vanilla yogurt – I used plain skim yogurt

Topping:
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced – I used one Fuji apple
35g (2 ½ tablespoons) unsalted butter
50g (¼ cup) sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pre-heat the oven to 175ºC/350ºF. Grease a deep, 20cm round cake pan and line the bottom with waxed paper.

For the cake: beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Gradually add the beaten egg, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract.
Fold in the flour, then the yogurt, and stir until smooth. Spoon the batter into prepared pan and smooth the surface.
Arrange the apple slices evenly over the mixture in a circular pattern, starting in the center. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and the sugar (the topping ingredients). Melt the butter and drizzle over the top.
Bake for 1 hour or until skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake. Leave in the pan for 30 minutes before unmolding – set on a wire track to cool.
If desired, combine a little extra sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the apples.

Serves 8-10.