Ottolenghi’s Apple & Olive Oil Cake with Maple Frosting

Classic recipe adapted from Food52. Originally from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi.

Ingredients

• ½ cup golden raisins

• 4 tablespoons water

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda

• ½ cup olive oil

• ¾ cup superfine sugar

• ½ vanilla bean

• 2 free-range egg, lightly beaten

• 3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ⅜ inch dice (Bramley or Honey Crisp or any other cooking apple is perfectly as well suited).

• Grated zest of 1 lemon

• 2 free-range egg whites

• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)

• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

• ½ cup muscovado sugar (scant)

• 6 tablespoons Mount Cabot Maple Syrup

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

A perfect, sophisticated recipe for a quiet afternoon with fall leaves in the wind. An everyday cake, keeps well in the fridge. Be advised you might not want to share.

1. Grease and line an 8 inch cake pan with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan simmer the raisin and water on low heat until the water has plumped up raisins and evaporated. Leave to cool.

2. Preheat the oven to 325°. Sift and mix the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda - set aside.

3. In a bowl, whisk the oil and superfine sugar. If using a stand mixer - use with the paddle attachment. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise in half, place its seeds in a bowl. Beat the oil, sugar, and vanilla together, then slowly add the eggs. Ensure the mix is smooth and thickening at this time. Fold in the diced apples, raisins and lemon zest. Next, work on the dry ingredients.

4. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they reach a soft meringue consistency. Aim to maintain as much air as possible as you fold them into the batter in 2 parts,

5. Pour the batter into your lined/greased pan. Use a spatula to level the mixture and place in the oven. Bake for 1 ½ hours. If needed, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake and pull it out clean to ensure it being done. Once done, remove from oven and cool.

6. Once the cake is cooled, it’s time for the assemblage! Remove the cake from the pan and cut horizontally using a large serrated knife. The product should be 2 similar disks, if domed, shave off area to ensure level.

7. To start the icing - beat the butter, muscovado sugar, and Mount Cabot Maple Syrup until light and airy (can be done by hand with a whisk or paddle attachment in stand mixer). Next, add the cream cheese and beat until the icing is smooth and lump free.

8. Using an icing spatula, spread a layer of icing on the bottom half of the cake. Then, place the top half on the icing and spoon the remainder of the icing and level. Use some creativity and uniformity here, we like creating a wavelike form. Lastly, dust with confectionary sugar if you’ve got an extra sweet tooth. Then Share! At least try! You’ll feel good!