Food with passion: Brown butter apple cake with cinnamon swirl

John Paul Kennedy is a self-taught cook and an avid fan of collecting cookery books with a passion for good old-fashioned home cooking.

His passion for proper family cooking stems from his TWO Grandmothers, who were both excellent cooks, one of whom was a trained chef.

JP promises to bring us plenty of family-inspired recipes and tasty treats while showing us how to get the basics right.

As the leaves begin to turn and the evenings draw in, there’s something wonderfully comforting about baking with seasonal apples.

With bramley apples now at their very best, i’ve been searching for the perfect autumn bake and i think i’ve found it.

This brown butter apple cake with cinnamon swirl has completely stolen my heart.

imagine a beautifully moist, buttery cake packed with tender, sweet apples, with ribbons of rich cinnamon sugar running through every slice.

The browned butter adds a gorgeous nutty depth of flavour, while the cinnamon swirl takes this humble apple cake to a whole new level.

It’s the kind of cake that fills the kitchen with the most incredible aroma and has everyone asking when it will be ready.

Served slightly warm with a generous dollop of chantilly cream and a steaming cup of tea, it really is autumn on a plate. whether you’re baking for family, friends, or simply treating yourself on a cosy afternoon, this is a recipe that’s guaranteed to become a favourite.

Ingredients: 

• For the Cake
• 2 bramley cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped into small pieces
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 110g unsalted butter
• 360g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 300ml milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 200g caster sugar

For the Cinnamon Swirl 120g melted butter

• 150g light brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Method

1. preheat the oven to 180°c (170°c fan) and line a deep baking tin with parchment paper.
2. place the 110g butter in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook until it turns a light golden brown and develops a nutty aroma. remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
3. Toss the chopped bramley apples with the 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and set aside.
4. in a large bowl, whisk together the browned butter, caster sugar, beaten eggs and vanilla extract until well combined.
5. add the milk and stir until smooth.
6. sift in the flour and baking powder, then gently fold together until you have a smooth batter.
7. To make the cinnamon swirl, combine the melted butter, light brown sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
8. spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin and spread evenly. scatter the cinnamon-coated apple pieces throughout the batter. dollop spoonfuls of the cinnamon swirl mixture over the top of the cake batter, then use a knife or skewer to gently swirl it through the mixture, creating beautiful ribbons of cinnamon throughout the cake.
9. bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
10. allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
11. serve warm with a generous spoonful of chantilly cream and a hot cup of tea for the ultimate autumn treat.

I always know a recipe is a keeper when my family starts requesting it again before the last crumbs have disappeared.

This cake has earned that honour and then some.

In fact, it’s been requested for sunday dessert for the past two weeks running, which tells you everything you need to know!

I hope you enjoy this delicious autumn treat as much as we do.

Pop the kettle on, gather your loved ones around the table, and savour every comforting bite. sometimes the simplest ingredients create the most memorable bakes, and this beautiful apple cake is proof of exactly that. happy baking.