This apple cider cake with salted cider caramel drizzle uses delicious apple cider to create an extra-special apple cake!
Commissioned post.
I’ve been working with Thatchers Cider this year, discovering how well food and cider pair together. Hint: it’s fantastic! In past posts I’ve looked at cider and food pairing, cheese and cider pairing, and wrote about 75 recipe ideas for a cider pairing dinner party. I hope you’ve enjoyed coming with me on my cider journey and that you’ll be hosting cider pairing parties of your own.
For this post, instead of pairing cider with food, I’ve used it as the star ingredient in a moist and decadent Apple Cider Cake with Salted Cider Caramel Drizzle. I’ve soaked chunks of apple in cider (I used Thatchers Gold – a medium/dry sparkling cider) and then put both in the batter of this moist apple cake. I’ve then used some more cider as the base of a moreish salted cider caramel to drizzle over it.
If you throw a cider pairing dinner party, this cake would be the perfect dessert!
- 1 eating apple, washed and cored, but unpeeled, cut into medium-sized chunks
- 175ml (¾ cup) good quality medium dry cider (I used Thatcher’s Gold)
- 125g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 125g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 2 free-range organic eggs
- 175g (1 ½ cups) plain (all purpose) flour
- 60g (½ cup) wholemeal plain flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 250g (1 ⅓ cup) sugar
- 60ml (¼ cup) water
- 3 tablespoons good quality apple cider (I used Thatchers Gold)
- 150ml (½ cup) double (heavy) cream
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt flakes
- Soak the apple chunks in the cider while preparing the other ingredients.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and lightly grease an 18cm (7in) cake tin.
- In a stand mixer or with an electric whisk, cream together the butter and sugar for a few minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, both flours, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, and mix to combine.
- Add the apple (along with the cider it was soaked in), to the batter and gently stir to combine, being careful not to over-mix.
- Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until golden and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the salted cider caramel:
- Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan over a medium heat, stirring gently until it bubbles and the sugar dissolves. Add the cider and, without stirring, boil the mixture for about 5-7 minutes until it is a golden colour. If necessary, scrape the sides down with a rubber spatula, but don’t stir.
- Remove from the heat and stir the cream into the sauce until combined. Be careful, it will bubble up considerably and could splurt at you like molten caramel lava. Stir in the salt. Pour into a sterilized jar and allow to cool.
- Drizzle the cooled salted cider caramel over the cake and serve.
Thatchers have a range of vegan, gluten-free ciders that are all made with love and care at their apple farm in Somerset. They use traditional techniques and the expertise they’ve honed since 1904 to craft the finest range of Somerset ciders. Four generations of cider-making later, they’ve created some exceptional ciders on their 400 acres of apple orchards.
Disclosure: Thatchers commissioned this post and provided the giveaway prize. All opinions are my own.
LORNA WIL says
Enjoying the peacful sight of all the beautiful flowers, plants growing in my garden with the butterflies & bees buzzing about & birds singing!
Sarah Gray says
Gardening, not having to wear a coat, bbqs, chilled wine, summer flowers, cut grass 🙂
Chirag Patel says
Be able to enjoy the garden and the smell the f the bbq
caroline kelly says
Days out with my little girl and nights in beer gardens with my friends
tony houghton says
save on electric drying the washing outdoors, bbq’s while its warmer conditions
Jenny Rogers says
I love not having to wear socks, and not having to wrap up to go outside.
Elissa Gill says
Family bbqs and sitting outside having a drink and reading a book
Val Pownall says
I love the fresh air, warm sunshine and paddling my feet in the sea.
Ali Duke says
Sitting in the sunshine with a cold drink
kayleigh dudley says
i love our little camping weekend trips. My son calls them his holidays. so we enjoy trips to the coast, walking and lots of ice creams 🙂
ellie spider says
I love the warm sunny days on the beach with the family and picnics in the park with friends
Natalie Gillham says
What I love most about summer is the warmer sunny weather and being out more x
Keeley Shaw says
I love the summer holidays and spending time with the kids. Also love family BBQs at my mum’s house, and days out with a picnic. x
Steve Davies says
Late evening when the day has cooled down, nothing better than a nice dry cider to quench the thirst and help you unwind.
Georgina Farrow says
lovely hot evenings picking blackberries with my new husband like this evening
Dawn Chapman says
i haven’t got a garden, I call what I’ve got a yard Some would say “Patio” but it;s my haven and suntrap where in the summer I lounge, read and indulge in the odd cider.
Dragonfly63 says
I love being able to spend evening pottering about my garden and sitting drinking cider as the sun sets.
Lisa Mcalley says
The fact i can spent all those weeks every day with all my 3 kids. i love it alot.
Hayley Elvin says
Exploring the British countryside in glorious sunshine as we don’t get much, but when it is sunny we have the most beautiful scenery in the world.
Katherine Bond says
I love sitting in the garden during summer when it’s cooler in the evening and enjoying a cold drink.
tammi nutting says
the long light nights so we can have plenty of hot tub partys
Cat b says
Sunny evenings, sleeping with the window open all night
holly walker says
it was my daughters first summer and i loved her exploring the beach and enjoying the paddling pool
Spencer Wright says
Long warm evenings in my colourful garden, BBQs & sitting at a riverside pub, enjoying cold drinks & good company.
Julie Camm says
I really love the warm evenings spent outside with my family and friends…….. happy times they are….
Cerys John says
Sun, sea, sand, family time, and lots of down time 🙂
Victoria Prince says
I love the longer days 🙂 and (theoretically) drier weather! Though we’ve had a fab summer this year so far. Most consistent one I can remember!
Chantel L says
Simply waking to sunshine and the warmer weather (much preferred to dark winter mornings & layering clothes in the cold!)
Sarah Reed says
Swimming in the sea, when it’s warm in the evening and the tide has come up over the hot sand. It feels amazing to be swimming in the North Sea when its actually warm water!
Pauline Burroughs says
I love walking in the countryside on lovely sunny days
denise s says
eating and sitting outside in the garden , having picnics in the park and bike rides with the family.
Tracey S Anderson says
I LOVE lots of things about Summer but my favourite would have to be the school holidays when i get to spend family fun times with the munchkins X x x
Clare says
I love to take my dog out for a walk along the canal… Sometimes we accidentally call into the pub for refreshments too!
Alisa Moore says
Love being outdoors until late in the evenings
sue mcdermott says
I love being able to walk around without any socks on!
FARIDAH BROOKER says
I love the sun shining and it being warm. I love the fact that everything seems so much nicer in the sun!
Scott Fallon says
What i love about summer: good weather, football, comfortable clothes