Perfect spring afternoon tea...mmmm....

It’s once again my favourite season of the year! I know I’m a bit late in celebrating spring but if you are in Tassie, spring kinda just starts right about now! Most people who know me (or think they know me) would say my favourite season’s winter since I love the cold and snow. However, few know that the real me loves spring most of all! It’s the season where growth begins, the season where the sun starts peaking out at you again, the season wit all the colours and beauty God intended for this earth. In other words, it’s the perfect season!

If your gardens are overflowing with apples you have no idea what to do with, or if you go to the market and can’t help but buy heaps of apples and after you go home stare and wonder what you are going to do with them, then I have the ultimate solution for you! There are so many recipes out there for apple pies, and apple tarts, and apple crumbles, but this here my friend, is the perfect afternoon tea cake. It’s the cake you cut and serve up with a hot cup of English tea on a beautiful, sunny spring afternoon. It is an Apple Streusel Cake!

I am not exaggerating…trust me…! From the first time I saw it in the Women’s Weekly cake book, I knew I had to try it and it definitely didn’t disappoint! Light and soft in texture, with a crispy streusel topping, this is the next best thing that will make you the the star of every afternoon tea party!

Apple Streusel Cake

(from The Australian Women’s Weekly – Cooking Class Cakes)

Ingredients:

• 3 medium apples (450g)
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 185g butter, softened
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2  1/4 cups self-raising flour
• 3/4 cup milk

Cinnamon Streusel Toppping:

• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 60g butter, chopped
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp water, approximately

Method:

• Cinnamon Streusel Topping: Combine flour and cinnamon in a small bowl. Rub in butter and add sugar. Using one hand, add in enough water to make mixture come together in a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes. Coarsely grate topping mixture before sprinkling on unbaked cake.
• Preheat oven to moderate (about 175-180C). Grease square pan and line with baking paper.
• Peel, core and quarter apples; slice thinly. 
• Combine apple, sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer covered for 10 minutes or until apple is tender. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, beat butter and extra sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. 
• Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour and milk, in 2 batches. 
• Spread two thirds of the mixture evenly over base of prepared pan, top evenly with apple then spread the remaining mixture. Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon streusel topping. 
• Bake cake for approximately 50 minutes or will skewer inserted comes out clean. Stand cake for 5 minutes then turn cake onto wire rack and allow it to cool top-side up.

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