Invisible Apple Cake with Crumble Topping

Ingredients

• 158g all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 70g granulated sugar
• 28g butter, melted
• 89g milk, warmed
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 15 ml Citron Pear flavoured vodka (optional or use 15 ml of vanilla extract)
• 4 apples (we used 2 granny smith and 2 honey crisp)

Cinnamon Sugar

• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Crumble Topping

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 60g butter, cold and cubed
• 1/4 cup light-brown sugar
• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Butter a loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
2. Prepare the apples: Peel and core your apples, then slice them very thin, ideally with a mandoline.
3. Make the cinnamon sugar: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.
4. Make the crumble: In a medium bowl, mix the flour, light-brown sugar, and salt. Using your hands, work in the butter until clumps form. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
6. Make the batter: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and the sugar. Then add the butter, pear Vodka (or vanilla extract), and the milk. Combine the baking powder, salt and flour in a separate bowl, then gradually whisk into the batter until smooth. Finally, gently fold in the apples, making sure each sliced apple is coated with the batter.
7. Add the batter a little bit at a time to the prepared loaf tin. You want to make sure the apples are lying flat throughout the batter. Once done, sprinkle the top with half of the cinnamon sugar. Then top with the crumble before sprinkling the rest of the cinnamon sugar on top.
8. Bake in the oven for 55 minutes or until golden brown on top. You can top with a handful of slivered almonds ten minutes before it’s time to remove the cake from the oven if you like.
9. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the loaf tin and transfer to a wire rack to let cool for a further 10 minutes.