This apple cinnamon cake is one of our most popular cakes for autumn and it’s not hard to see why. Whole poached apples are baked inside this moist cake which is topped with a crunchy cinnamon crumble. The cake is served with a deliciously creamy cinnamon crème anglaise. Talk about a luscious treat!
You can cut or eat around the apple stalk and seeds when enjoying this cake.
Looking for more apple crumble recipes, apple cakes or tea cakes?
Ingredients
Method
Peel apples, leaving stems intact.
Combine the water, 2 cups sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan large enough to hold apples in a single layer; stir over high heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, add apples; cover apples with a round of baking paper and a heatproof plate to keep apples submerged in syrup. Return to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 8 minutes or until apples are tender. Remove apples from pan with a slotted spoon. Cool 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 160°C/325°F. Insert base of a 26cm (10½-inch) springform pan upside down in pan to make cake easier to remove. Grease closed pan. Line base with baking paper.
Beat butter, extract and remaining 1 cup sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Stir in ground almonds, sifted flour and buttermilk, in 2 batches. Spread mixture into pan.
Place apples, evenly spaced, around outside edge of pan, pushing apples down to the base of pan. Bake cake 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make cinnamon crunch topping. Melt butter in a small saucepan; stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
Crumble topping over apple cinnamon cake; bake further 45 minutes. Stand cake in pan 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make cinnamon anglaise. Bring cream, milk and cinnamon to the boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat, cover; stand 20 minutes. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until creamy. Gradually whisk in warm milk mixture. Return mixture to pan; stir over medium-high heat, without boiling, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Strain into a medium jug; discard cinnamon stick.
Serve warm apple and cinnamon cake with cinnamon anglaise.
What apples should I use in the cake?
We used very small pink lady apples for this apple cinnamon cake.
Note: The apple stalk and seeds are inedible. You can either cut or eat around them when consuming. Or even position your slices to exclude them when serving the cake.
More apple and cinnamon recipes
Apple and cinnamon is a delicious flavour combination, and can be found in cakes, slices and crumbles, as well as pies and scrolls. We love this ingredient pairing, and we have plenty of beautiful bakes for you to explore that hero it.
For another cake, try our apple cinnamon tea cake. For a warming dessert in the cooler months, you can’t beat this cinnamon apple crumble. After a pie? Try this cinnamon apple pie. And for a perfect weekend baking challenge, our apple & cinnamon scrolls are for you.
What is crème anglaise?
It is a light pouring custard usually perfumed with a split vanilla bean. For this apple cake recipe, we’ve used cinnamon instead. Crème anglaise is ideal paired with fruit pies and crumbles, or steamed puddings.
