Spiced rum apple cake with oat crumble; softly-scented spiced cake with a layer of sweet apple slices and a crisp cinnamon oat crumble topping.
Apple cake is one of those desserts that would fit right in almost anywhere in the world. Humble ingredients transformed into something simple but irresistible.
Crumbles, cake, strudels, tarts, and pies made with apples have always been at the pinnacle of my dream desserts. Something about that soft sweetness, the familiarity, the warmth. If there’s cinnamon or other cosy spices involved too? Just cut me a slice already please.
Today’s apple cake is one that takes a simple recipe up a notch, adding a bit of extra texture and depth.
Prefer a recipe video? You can watch me make this cake here on my YouTube channel!
The Spiced Rum Apple Cake itself is a simple sponge cake, scented with cinnamon and ginger. A good glug of dark rum adds some richness to each mouthful. Soft apples add sweetness and moisture. The scattered oat crumble topping adds an almost savoury crunch to the fluffiness underneath.
It makes for a perfect teatime or snack cake, dusted with icing sugar, to accompany a mug of milky tea. Similarly, it can also be a cracking dessert when served warm with custard, cream, or even some salted caramel sauce. You don’t often find a cake that’s so simple and so versatile!
Equally, it’s a cake that fits on the table at just about any time of year. The ingredients and flavours are somewhat autumnal, yet this Spiced Rum Apple Cake wouldn’t be unwelcome on a winter table, nor would I say no to them on still-chilly spring mornings.
As I was baking for two, the Spiced Rum Apple Cake pictured is a small 18cm (7-inch) cake. However, you can easily double the ingredients in the recipe to make a taller cake, or to bake it in a larger tin! Just leave it in the oven for an extra 10-15 minutes.
Of course, if you don’t consume alcohol for any reason, or if you just don’t have any, this cake is still delicious even without the rum!
Even if you’re a beginner baker, this is a great recipe to get stuck into. The spices do a lot of the work in adding flavour, and even if the cake isn’t perfectly pretty, you’re covering it with a crumble topping anyway.
Also, don’t worry too much about what kind of apples to use. I used some small sweet red apples that were just about past their best, but if you prefer a sour option like a Granny Smith, feel free to use that instead. Honestly, this recipe would be ideal to swap in sliced pear (even the tinned kind) too if you fancy. Why not add some raisins to the cake batter? Or a handful of chopped walnuts to the crumble topping? Get creative however you like!
Want to save this Spiced Rum Apple Cake for later? You can pin the image below.
To make this Spiced Rum Apple Cake, simply follow the recipe below:
Ingredients
For the spiced rum apple cake:
- 60g (4 tbsp) soft salted butter
- 60g (⅓ cup) soft dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 80g (⅔ cup) plain or 00 flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- Pinch of salt
- 2-3 tbsp dark or spiced rum
- 1 small-medium sweet apple
For the oat crumble:
- 2 tbsp plain or 00 flour
- 2 tbsp rolled oats
- 1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil or melted butter
Instructions
For the spiced rum apple cake:
- Preheat your oven – 180 C / 160 C fan / 350 F / gas mark 4 – and grease and line a 18cm (7 in) round cake tin.
- In a large bowl, beat together your soft butter, sugar, and vanilla for 2-3 minutes until paler and fluffier.
- Stir in the egg until combined. Don’t worry if it looks a bit lumpy or split, the dry ingredients will fix it!
- Pour in the dry ingredients and the rum and gently stir in until JUST combined into a thick cake batter. (Over-mixing can make your cake come out tough or chewy, and no one wants that!)
- Tip the mixture into your prepared tin, and smooth it out evenly.
- Peel and cut your apple into thin slices.
- Arrange the apple slices over the cake mixture. Set aside briefly to make your crumble topping.
For the oat crumble:
- In a medium bowl, measure all your crumble ingredients and stir together until you have a chunky crumble.
- Scatter your crumble mixture evenly over the apple slices.
- Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes or until risen and deeply golden on top. When ready, a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should be cleanly removed.
- Remove the baked cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in its tin.
- Release the cake from its tin to serve with a dusting of icing sugar, or cream, or custard, or caramel sauce.
- Enjoy!
BE A MAVERICK: why not add a handful of chopped hazelnuts or walnuts to the crumble topping for extra flavour and texture?
This recipe makes a small 18cm (7-inch) cake, but you can double it to make a taller cake or to bake in a larger tin. This Spiced Rum Apple Cake will keep well in an airtight container for up to 3 days, but is best enjoyed fresh!
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