Cinnamon Walnut Apple Cake with Olive Oil

Cinnamon Walnut Apple Cake Baked with Olive Oil (Greek Island of Crete)

Name: Cinnamon Walnut Apple Cake Baked with Olive Oil (Greek Island of Crete)
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 12 slices
Ingredients: 4 eggs; 1 cup brown sugar (plus 2 Tablespoons for apples); 1 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 cup milk; 2 1/2 cups wheat flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 4 apples; peeled; halved; cored; and thinly sliced; 1/2 cup walnuts; chopped; 1/2 cup raisins; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 3 tablespoons sesame seeds

Published on December 17, 2013 | In Cretan, Greek | By Koula Barydakis |

4 Comments

- Prep Time
- 20 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 60 Minutes
- Yield
- 12 slices
- Difficulty Level

In Crete, we use olive oil for everything, including baking sweets (Mediterranean Diet recipes classically use olive oil for baking). This cinnamon walnut apple cake has been baked for special occasions in my family for generations. Even though we have fruit for dessert on most nights, we will make this as a treat when we are celebrating. Olive oil makes for velvety and moist baked goods and I would highly recommend it for most of your baking needs. One tip is to try to get a buttery or fruity flavored olive oil when you are baking. Eat this cake with afternoon tea or coffee or after a light meal. Enjoy!

Photo by Bill Bradley, R.D.

Ingredients

4 eggs
1 cup brown sugar (plus 2 Tablespoons for apples)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup milk
2 1/2 cups wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 apples, peeled, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons sesame seeds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Beat eggs and sugar with a hand mixer for 10 minutes. Add olive oil and beat for an additional 3 minutes.
Add milk, wheat flour, baking powder and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes.
Brush a 9" cake pan with olive oil. Add half the batter to the pan.
In a bowl, mix apples, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, walnuts, raisins and cinnamon . Pour apple mixture on top of batter in cake pan.
Add remaining batter to pan and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake for 45-50 minutes until inserted knife comes out clean.

Servings : 12
Ready in : 80 Minutes
Course : Dessert
Recipe Type : Healthy Grains, Peasant Baker, Vegetarian
Ingredient : Apples, Flour, Olive Oil

4 Responses to Cinnamon Walnut Apple Cake Baked with Olive Oil (Greek Island of Crete)

Bill Bradley, R.D. February 2, 2018 at 4:50 pm #

Recipe has been fixed. Super moist and delicious now!
Thanks for catching the flour overload!

Reply
Bill Bradley, R.D. January 23, 2018 at 2:00 am #

Hi Karen,
When I originally made this it seemed good, but I think the grams to cups translation may have been a mistake. I think it should be closer to 3 1/2 cups. I will make it again in the next few days and let you know. Thanks for the comment!

Reply
Karen January 23, 2018 at 1:18 am #

I made this recipe today. It came out dry and like bread. I think it has 2 cups flour too much. Maybe 2 1/2 cups of flour instead of 4 1/2 cups of flour.

Reply
- Bill Bradley, R.D. January 23, 2018 at 1:51 am #
  
  Hi Karen, I need to try this recipe again, but I’m pretty sure that it is supposed to have this amount of flour. Did you use a cup of olive oil?
  I will let you know when I try it this weekend.
  Bill Bradley, R.D.
  
  Reply

About Chef

Koula Barydakis

Koula Barydakis was born into a long tradition of eating and living Mediterranean on the Greek island of Crete. She is a chef who has worked in many of ...

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Cinnamon Walnut Apple Cake Baked with Olive Oil (Greek Island of Crete)