Spring Cleaning

With sightings of the first robins last week and then the first hint of green leaves on the Bradford Pears (a sure sign we will get at least one more frost). I started thinking that I should be starting spring cleaning, so of course I headed into my office at the house and on to the computer. A made a list of projects that need to be done, I got my tires on the car rotated and two replaced, a made a grocery list and I watched the birds and started a big batch of vegetable soup... That made me thing what else I should be cooking and that sent me onto some of my favorite foodie blogs where I found this. What a perfect addition to a late winter/early spring day...

Apple and Olive Oil Cake with Maple Icing

For an 8 inch cake that serves 6-8 (either 2 layers with icing in between or 1 cake with lots of icing on top or no icing and just dusted icing/confectioner's sugar)

For the cake:
3oz sultana raisins
4 tbsp water
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 vanilla pod
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 Bramley apples or 4 Granny Smiths
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 egg whites
icing/confectioner's sugar (optional) for dusting - if not making the icing*

For the icing:
1 stick - 2 tsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup light muscovado sugar
3 oz maple syrup
1 cup cream cheese

For the cake:
Heat the oven to 325F
Spray a springform pan with non-stick spray (8 in.) in diameter, then line the bottom with baking parchment.

Put the sultana raisins and the water in a saucepan and simmer on low heat until the water has been absorbed completely. Set aside to cool.

Sift together the dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, bakiing soda) and set aside. Peel, core and dice the apples into 1/2 inch cubes. Set aside.

In a separate large bowl, mix the olive oil and sugar together by hand or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Slit the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds into the oil and sugar. Beat until well mixed (the vanilla can clump when you scrape it out so make sure to "de-clump" it). Add the lightly beaten eggs gradually, leaving you with a thick, smooth batter in the end. Add the diced apples, sultanas, and the lemon zest. Add the dry ingredients, folding in gently (you can do this in one go). In a separate clean and dry bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold the whisked egg whites very gently (to lose as little air as possible) into the main batter in 2 additions. 2 additions is best as the more additions you do, the more you are folding the batter and losing air. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth out the surface (there can be errant pieces of apple sticking out). Bake for an hour and a half or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let cool completely in the pan.

The flavors of the cake mature over time so for best results wrap the cake in cling film/saran wrap and refrigerate for up to three days before assembly. That means make the icing on the day you will be eating the cake.

For the icing:
Beat the butter, muscovado sugar and maple syrup together either by hand or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (I used my stand mixer for this) until light and airy. Add the cream cheese and continue beating until thoroughly blended and smooth.

To assemble:
If you wish to put icing in between two layers, cut the cake in half using a serrated knife.

Spread the icing as you wish, between two layers, over the top of the cake only, on top and on the sides, knock yourself out.