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Professional Pruning

I rarely resort to hiring help in the garden but I'm learning that sometimes it is wise to do so and worth every penny. Case in point - some hideous out-of-control trees that were beyond my ability to deal with. If I were smarter, I would have tackled these issues from the beginning but I didn't know better. The first is a pear tree that was planted along the back fence line. I've worked on this for the past several years, every year with the intent of reducing the height or possibly removing it altogether. As you can see in the photo, I had cut back everything but three limbs and finally realized that it would be dangerous for me to try and bring them down. The limbs grow straight up into the air and the remaining three are about 20 feet tall.  After -- there is a hole in the sky view but the tree should fill in nicely for a good screen and I can keep it trimmed down from this point forward. Farther down along the fence line, and the view from the deck, are two massive pho

Danish Apple Cake

The baking group I participate in (The Cake Slice Bakers) starts baking from a new book this month. "World Class Cakes" by Roger Pizey features recipes from around the world. The group's previous book was by Maida Heatter and I have been baking from her books for years (see my blog Mad About Maida). I learned quite a lot from Ms. Heatter but it is good to try my hand at some other recipes.

This month's selection of four recipes included
Chocolate and Rum Canneles (I didn't have the pans to make that), Maple Syrup and Pecan layer Cake (tempting) and Bee Sting Cake (I almost selected it). I opted instead for the Danish Apple Cake. This is a popular cake in Denmark.







The cake was fairly simple with just a few ingredients. It is made in a spring form pan. The batter was very thick and you press apple slices in the top (I used Granny Smith apples).


A sprinkling of brown sugar goes on top before baking.




The cake turned out nicely but was slightly underdone in the middle. The instructions say 35 minutes. I used my 8" inch spring form pan and am wondering if I should have tried the larger pan and it would have been thinner. I would add 5 or 10 minutes to the baking next time. I am still trying to get used to our gas oven! 

The cake is delicious and very pretty. I would definitely make it again. I am looking forward to trying more recipes from this book.


Danish Apple Cake
(from World Class Cakes by Roger Pizey, Race Point Publishing, 2013)

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup superfine sugar (I used regular sugar and ground it in a chopper)
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups self-rising flour, sifted
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 apples, peeled and cored and cut into 1/2 in. wedges
1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and line bottom of an 8-inch springform cake pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until well combined.

Add the sifted flour a little at a time on low speed. Fold in the raisins and then spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan. Press the apple wedges around the top of the cake, pushing them gently into the batter.

Sprinkle with brown sugar and bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven. Let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack in the pan, then remove the sides and parchment (or the parchment can be left if too difficult to move safely).

See what other Cake Slice bloggers have baked this month.


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. Oooooo!! Thanks for sharing Phillip!

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  2. Don't the cakes from the book all look amazing? I am definitely going to have to try this cake out too. I love apple cakes and this looks perfect for what is left of fall!

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  3. Nicely done! Perfect cake to make in this wheather!

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  4. I love how your cake puffed up nice and high. I did use the bigger springform, but next time I think I will use the smaller one like you did.

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  5. That looks delicious. A baking group sounds like a fantastic idea. I do a book group and 2 singing groups - never thought of a baking group. Guess it is also an eating group too, as you must have to taste your triumphs ??

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    1. Well, I guess you would call it a "virtual" eating group! I need to try a reading group. It is hard to find people who read these days!

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  6. I think this looks so yummy. You make it sound so easy. I forget that you have the other blog. This recipe is perfect for this time of year and so pretty. Speaking of pretty I think I have forgotten to tell you that I think your header picture is so pretty. Happy Thanksgiving.

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  7. Lovely cake! And it was delicious! My family likes it. Yes, it took a longer time to bake, mine took about one hour. I would love to bake this cake again, as a plain butter cake, as I really like the moist, tender crumbs. Perfect for tea-time treats!

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    1. It was good! I had a piece for breakfast with coffee and it was delicious!

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  8. Damn! That looks delicious. You know...we're going to have to hold the area blogger's plant swap at your place sometime soon. Obviously so we can see our garden but also because you bake like this!

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  9. Looks like the perfect dessert for this Thanksgiving. I have a family that doesn't like pumpkin pie, so I was going to make an apple pie, but this looks even better!

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  10. I've never been much of a baker but must try this. We are always looking for ways to use up our apples.

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  11. I love how the beautiful golden crust just glistens and beckons to be cut into!

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  12. Your cake has hidden treasures! Yes! This was good, got good reviews! And so easy to put together and yet tasted fabulous! 35 plus a couple of mins was good for my two smaller pans.

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  13. Your cake turned out lovely. I love that you pushed the apples down enough that the cake completely covered it. Sounds really good too.

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  14. That really does look and sound delicious. Mine was a bit flat!

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  15. ooooh Philip, this sure does look great! And I know you needed a few minutes longer but the shape and golden colour looks super! Looking forward to this new book! Hazel x

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  16. This looks delicious, I like how golden and buttery it looks. Laura@ Baking in Pyjamas

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