Apple Semolina Cake

I got the main idea for this cake from a super cute cookbook I got while on vacation in London – “Tea Fit For A Queen”. That’s why all of the measurements are in weight, which is common in Europe. It’s not that easy to convert them to neat American volumetric based measures so I didn’t. It’s really not too bad tho, as long as you have a kitchen scale. The original recipe actually used ground almonds but my husband has a nut allergy so I substituted semolina instead. It gives a great texture to this cake. The best way to make this cake is in a spring form pan. That way you don’t have to worry about getting it out without ruining the nicely arranged apples on top. 

INGREDIENTS makes 1 cake

2 medium cooking apples

200 g unsalted butter, at room temperature

150 g light brown sugar

3 eggs at room temperature 

175 g self-rising (preferably whole meal) flour

75 g semolina

zest of 1/2 lemon

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp ground ginger 

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

2 splashes (a little less than 1/4 cup) milk

2 – 3 Tbs apricot jam

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1 medium cooking apple
• Baking Pam 

1. Preheat the oven 375 and spray the spring form pan with baking pam. Peel, core and finely dice one of the apples and set aside. 

• 200 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 150 g light brown sugar
• 3 eggs at room temperature 
• 175 g self-rising (preferably whole meal) flour
• 75 g semolina
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger 
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 splashes (a little less than 1/4 cup) milk 

2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl. Gradually bet in the eggs one at a time. Then gently fold in the flour and semolina. Add in the lemon zest, spices, diced apple, and milk. Spoon into the prepared spring form pan. 

• 1 medium cooking apple

3. Core the second apple, and thinly slice with the skin on. Arrange in a fan patter on top of the cake mixture. Bake for 1 hour. 

• 2 – 3 Tbs apricot jam

4. Once baked, cook the cake in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Brush the apricot jam over the top of the cake while it is still warm. You can serve worm or cold.