Gluten free vegan apple cake

When I was growing up as a child my family used to make the most amazing apple cake. I decided to have a go at recreating a gluten free, dairy free, egg free, corn free, (almost) sugar free version. I cut it up and freeze it in slices, so it can be used as an occasional treat when cake is needed! I use the demerara sugar on top to caramelise the apples. So if you wanted to make it truly sugar free then just use xylitol on top instead! Apparently the original apple cake recipe that we had when growing up came from my Aunty Margaret. I still have the hand written version from all those years ago! I love that I can still enjoy apple cake with my adapted recipe.

Ingredients

• 200g vegan spread (I used pure life)

• 160g xylitol2 egg replacers (orgran)

• 160g brown rice flour

• 60g tapioca flour

• 80g chestnut flour

• 1 teaspoon mixed spice

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

• 60g currants / raisins / sultanas

• 150g cooking apple for filling

• 150g cooking apple for topping

• 1 dessert spoon of demerara sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C

2. Mix the vegan spread and xylitol in the food processor

3. Mix in the 2 egg replacers.

4. Sift the chestnut flour, brown rice flour and tapioca flour, mixed spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and whizz in the food processor

5. Stir in the dried fruit and 150g chopped cooking apple

6. Line a baking tin with greaseproof paper and butter the sides with the vegan spread to stop the cake sticking

7. Spoon cake mix into the tin

8. Cut the other 150g cooking apple into slices and decorate the top of the cake

9. Cover the cake with parchment paper and bake in the oven for 30 mins

10. Remove the parchment paper, sprinkle demerara sugar over the apples and return cake to the oven and bake for a further 20 mins. If you want to keep it sugar free use xylitol instead.

11. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a bit before serving.