What do you make for a birthday cake when the birthday girl doesn't eat chocolate?
Birthdays without a decadent chocolate cake are unimaginable, at least for me. But the world is vast and we can find all kinds of people, those who like chocolate and those who don't. So, when you host a surprise birthday party for your aunty who prefers every other flavour over gooey chocolate, you turn to the inexhaustible and tasty Tastemade and Masterchef's master bakers for inspiration. And man, do they never disappoint!
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What is a recipe if you don't make it your own?
My plan started with a simple apple flavoured cake - sweet, moist chunks in the batter and a golden crust on the top. But being the over-the-top foodie I am, I thought, "How can I make it more magical?"
The endless trips to Instagram's slices of foodie posts have taught me one thing: Apples and Cinnamon are the best of friends, closer than even the Burger-Fry duo. A mere image of this bewitching fusion had me running to the nearest convenience store for a bottle of cinnamon. With a rich aroma of cinnamon enveloping the warm cake, my recipe now had the zesty spice it needed.
Out came the soft butter; put together with chunky brown sugar and the dashing cinnamon, a Super Filling was ready to be layered between the two dense cake loaves.
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Eating begins with the eyes and the nose. So, while the aromatic sensation was taken care of by the intense but warm cinnamon, my cake was still a little underdressed. Looking at the half full basket of apples, I realised that there was no such thing as too many apples.
Much like every time I cook, I went ahead with the feeling in my gut and began to chop the rosy red fruit into thin slices.
Stove on and sugar in pan, the juicy slivers went straight atop the flames. It was time to caramelise! Couple of minutes over the stove and voila! My cake had the perfect topping.
Food hacker tip: Leftovers in pots and pans are glowing with potential. All you have to do, is look.
The caramalised apples left behind golden splashes of sugary goodness in the pan. Non-watchers of Masterchef would leave it behind to be cleaned later, but it is a different game for the fans. Pro Masterchefs are always looking to add contrast and excitement to their creations, and a crunchy topping is right at the top of the ladder.
I did what had to be done and was now ready with a wholesome cake, full of warmth, flavour and sugary crackles.
Apple cake with cinnamon butter filling, topped with caramelised apples, with a side of crunchy candy. Impressive, isn't it?
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