Rustic German Apple Cake (vegan)

 reading time: 2 min




Mabon – the pagan autumn equinox sabbat and main harvest festival, the "Witches Thanksgiving" – has just passed, and Samhain – the "Witches New Year" and last of the three harvest festivals – is soon to come, but this rustic apple cake recipe would fit both Mabon and Samhain perfectly!
 
Apples are found in many legends all around the world – from Norse mythology where the goddess Idunn fed young apples to other deities to help them remain immortal, to the Greek Goddess Hera who had orchards of apple trees that also granted eternal life. It is no coincidence that the misty island of Avalon was also known as the Isle of Apples and eternal youth – Avalon literally means fruit or apple – where fruit grew in great abundance. In Wiccan rituals, apples are also important for divination, being used to spell out the initials of one's true love's name using apple peel.
 
So far I can't attest that apples really do grant eternal youth or immortality, nor do I know if they really can predict your true love, but they are definitely traditional foods for celebrating the harvest and the arrival of fall and therefore perfectly fitting for this time of year.
 
Long story short: You should make this apple cake!! :) It's super good and healthy!

RUSTIC VEGAN APPLE CAKE

Preparation time: 1 1/2 h 
Main ingredients: apples, rye meal, spelt flour
difficulty level: easy
 makes: one 7-inch spring form
 suitable for: vegan, lactose-free, wheat-free, low-sugar
Ingredients
250 g wholegrain coarse rye meal or regular wholegrain rye flour (or any other wholegrain flour)
 250 g spelt flour (type 1050) *
10 g ground hazelnuts (or walnuts)
50 g ground almonds
1 packet (15 g) baking soda
30 g spelt semolina (or polenta)
 125 g raw cane sugar (or coconut blossom sugar or regular brown sugar)
(optional) a handful of vegan dark chocolate, chopped
pinch of salt
1 tbsp cinnamon 
20 g maple syrup or honey
375 ml plant-based milk
 60 ml sunflower oil or coconut oil

about 450 g thinly sliced apples (tart apples are great)

nutty topping:
30 g walnuts (or almond slices)
20 g pecans (or almond slices)
20 g sunflower seeds (or almond slices)
3 tbsp coconut oil


* If you are confused about that flour type, check out this website which explains the difference between German flour types and US-American flour types.  

Instructions

Preheat oven to 355°F or 180°C. Grease a 7-inch spring form or equivalent-size baking dish, or line with baking parchment.

In a large mixing bowl, combine course rye meal, spelt flour, spelt semolina, brown sugar, baking soda, ground hazelnuts, ground almonds, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Whisk to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together plant-based milk, sunflower oil, and maple syrup. 
 
Set both bowls aside. Wash, core and thinly slice the apples. 
 
Now combine the wet mixture into the flour mixture, and whisk until combined (the batter is quite thick). Use an electric whisk to form an even batter. 

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared spring form. Arrange the apple slices evenly over the top of the batter, pressing lightly into the batter. 
 
Bake for 60 minutes, then add roughly chopped nut pieces on top. Drizzle with melted coconut oil. Bake for another 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. 
 
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on the counter completely before slicing and serving. It's even better the next day. You can also freeze individual pieces and enjoy them up to a couple of weeks later.

Since this cake is more on the dry side, some (vegan) vanilla custard, whipped cream or even vanilla ice cream would go fabulous with this.


 ♥

Maisy

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