Apple and Strawberry Crumble Cake

As far as cakes go, this one isn't all that bad. By that I mean, it's slightly on the more healthy side than your average chocolate cake. That means you can eat a bigger slice. Which you will want to do. Trust me. 

This cake makes a beautiful dessert. It's packed full of lovely fresh apples and topped with big juicy strawberries.

 I really loved the layers that make up this cake - the bottom vanilla cake, the middle apple layer, the crunchy crumble, and the lovely fresh strawberries. 

I was nervous about how this cake would turn out - and especially how it would go down with my honey, being a bit healthier than my usual desserts. To my relief it was fantastic. I was so happy with it, and Emmet adored it. I will definitely make this one many more times!

Apple and Strawberry Crumble Cake

Serves 10

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Base

100 g butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup self-raising flour
100 mL skim milk

Filling

1 cup unsweetened apple juice
4 tablespoons cornflour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
4 apples, peeled, thinly sliced

Crumble

1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 Cup brown sugar

50 g butter, chopped
3 tablespoons liquid honey

To top

200 g fresh strawberries, halved

3 Tbsp strawberry jam, melted

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line the base of a 20 cm-round springform cake tin with baking paper.

2. To make the filling, combine 1/3 cup of the apple juice with cornflour and mix well. Set aside. In a medium saucepan combine the rest of the apple juice, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in cornflour mixture. Mix well and then stir continuously until it thickens. Remove from heat. Add to apple slices and mix well to thoroughly coat the apple.

3. To make crumble combine flour, rolled oats and sugar in a bowl. Add honey and butter. Rub with your fingertips to form a crumble consistency.

4. To make base, combine butter and sugar in a bowl. Beat until light and creamy. Add egg and beat to combine. Fold in flour and add milk. Mix gently.

5. Pour base mixture into prepared tin. Spread apple filling over base then scatter crumble mixture on top. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

6. Decorate with strawberries and drizzle over the jam. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.