Apple tea cake

Apples remind me of autumn. I'm finally seeing the change of colour of the leaves, turning into a deep red and orange colour that always makes me happy. I really despised the hot, sticky weather that Melbourne had for the past summer. Would you agree that it is extremely hard for a high school student to concentrate in class on a 40 degree (104 F) day? When it was those extra long school days, I just could not stay attentive. All I could think about, was coming home and having an ice cold bath. And eating ice cream later. I think a good solution to the students-not-paying-attention-cause-it's-too-hot, is to give out some chocolate or ice cream.. Something sugary and COLD, to wake us up.

But no complaining now. Well, before you know it,I'll be saying "IT'S TOO COLD!".Although, I love cooking dinner on those chilly nights, with some pumpkin soup and drinking hot chocolate.

An apple cake is pretty lovely too. I love tea cakes, and generally any cake that contains yoghurt. Yoghurt is a wonderful ingredient, that always produce moist textures. This apple cake produced an extremely moist (I may use that word a little too often), and soft texture. The only thing I would change in this recipe, is to add more apples into the batter. I added about half an apple, but I think adding 1 whole apple into the batter, diced into cubes would be even better. I already reduced the sugar to 3/4 cup, so it wasn't too sweet! And spiked it with some vanilla bean paste... My favourite ingredient! 

I honestly couldn't think of anything better than to have apple tea cake for afternoon tea :) So do yourself a favour, bake this cake and have a large, thick slice of apple tea cake.

And one more thing. Not only should you sprinkle cinnamon and sugar before you bake the cake, but you should brush it with some butter.. I brushed the cake with some melted butter in the end....... Totally not devilish or anything. Just gotta love butter!

Apple tea cake
Ingredients
1 cup thick yoghurt (I used reduced fat Greek)
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup neutral oil (macadamia, sunflower or canola)
3/4 cup white sugar, increase to 1 cup sugar if you like your cakes sweeter
1 and a 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
2 tsp vanilla extract, or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or the seeds of a vanilla bean
A pinch of salt
Two eggs
Two small apples (I used green apples) 1 finely sliced for the top and 1 apple diced for the batter
A tbsp of cinnamon
A few extra tbsp of sugar
Milk for brushing
Melted butter for brushing the cake when out of the oven *optional

Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 180 C(350 F). In a bowl, combine the yoghurt, oil, sugar, vanilla and eggs and whisk until combine.
2. Sift flour into another bowl, and combine with baking powder, bicarb and salt. Add the flour mixture to the yoghurt mixture, and stir in diced apples. Mix until just combined, don't over-mix it.
3. Pour it into a round cake tin lined with baking paper.
4. Arrange the apple slices on the surface of the batter, to your liking.
5. Brush with milk, and sprinkle over cinnamon and extra sugar.
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of your cake. It should be done when a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
7. Brush the cake with melted butter.

Adapted from Le pirate life