As I write this our home smells gloriously of cinnamon & baked apples & it's just fabulous :) I thought I'd share the recipe for the most delicious tray bake. It's super easy to make, looks (and smells) amazing when it's done and it tastes so, so, soooooo good!
There is something about autumn that just yells apples & gorgeous cinnamon to me :) Hubby adores anything with cinnamon so this is a favourite of his. Why not serve it with whipped cream or even an old childhood favourite with lovely warm homemade custard :)
Let's head to the kitchen, grab our pinnies and get baking :)
Ingredients:
5 medium sized apples - use your favourites honeys, I used Gala apples :)
Some lemon juice to sprinkle over the apples to prevent them turning brown once sliced - juice of around half a lemon should do or use bottled.
350g of self raising flour
350g of butter/margarine
350g of castor sugar
5 large eggs
1/2 (a half) teaspoon vanilla extract
Caster sugar & ground cinnamon to sprinkle on top
Directions:
1. Pre-heat your oven to 180C or 350F or Gas mark 4.
2. Core, peel & slice your apples, place them into a small bowl with cold water and your lemon juice mixed through. Set to one side until needed.
3. Place your sugar into a bowl and add your butter. Mix until you have a creamy mixture. Into a different bowl, beat your eggs and place to one side. Weigh out your flour and place to one side.
4. Use a sieve to add around half of your flour to the mixing bowl with your sugar & butter mixture inside. Using your sieve helps add air to your sponge. Add around half of your beaten egg and then mix until light and well mixed. Sieve the rest of your flour into the mixing bowl and the rest of the beaten eggs. Again mix until light and well mixed. I use my little electric hand mixer to do this.
5. Add your vanilla essence to the bowl and lightly mix through.
6. Fetch your baking tray, this cake will rise so remember to use a baking tray which will allow for this. I used a rectangular tray sized at 8" x 14"
7. Place a piece of baking parchment or grease proof paper, cut to size, into the base of your tray and spray with olive oil, or rub base & sides of dish with butter/margarine to grease tray.
8. Pour around half of your sponge mixture into the base of your greased tray. Arrange slices of apple in rows to cover the surface.
9. Pour the remaining mixture across the surface, covering the rows of apple slices completely. Again, arrange rows of apple slices across the top.
10. Sprinkle caster sugar & ground cinnamon across the top till you're happy with result.
11. Carefully pop the tray into the middle shelf of your heated oven for 40-45 minutes until it has very lightly browned and you can insert a skewer into the middle and it comes out clean. Leave to cool on a cooling rack. Once cool, cut into squares or bars.
12. Serve to loved ones and wait for hugs :) Any left overs can be stored in an airtight container. enjoy!
I usually use a sheet of baking parchment or grease proof paper placed between layers in the airtight container I use to store them. Stops them sticking together. This tray bake would make a lovely hostess gift too. Why not cut baking parchment and wrap each square or bar individually, tie the baking parchment with pretty string or ribbon, then place into a pretty container for gifting.
I hope you're having a great weekend honeys, till next time, stay warm, it's getting chilly outside,
hugs always xx
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