Apple Crumble Cake

I've always wanted to try baking an apple crumble cake. When I have some red apples sitting in the fridge for too long, this recipe comes across my mind. Hmm, Granny smith apples? For newbie like me, I don't have the slightest idea why it's named like that in the recipe. Well, that name refers to no other than green apples. I think many recipes call for green apple instead of the red one because it's more crunchy and the slight sourness of the fruit can bring the extra flavor in the end-baked products. But mine turned out not bad after all, even using red apples ;-)

INGREDIENTS

Part A - Apple topping

20g butter

100g granulated sugar

3 green apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch thick wedges. ( I used Fuji red apples)

Part B - Crumb topping

115g butter, melted

100g brown sugar

150g granulated sugar

1 tsp cinnamon powder

110g plain flour

1 cup walnut, toasted

Part C - Cake

80g butter

150g granulated sugar
2 eggs, grade A 

110g cake flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp table salt

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp ginger powder

METHOD

1. Start by completing part A and B first before moving to part C.

2. For part A, melt the butter over medium-heat fire on a medium size pan. Add in the sugar and continue cooking until the sugar is dissolved and fragrant. Finally add in the apple and continue to cook until the apples have softened slightly. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

3. Part B is the easiest. Whisk together flour, both sugars, walnut, cinnamon powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add melted butter and using your fingers, mix together to form large crumbs.  Set aside for use later.
4. For Part C, making the cake. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger powder, cinnamon powder and salt. Then cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs and mix until well combined. Finally using a spatula, fold in the flour mixture and mix slowly until well combined. Do not overmix, else the cake will have  a rough texture.
5. Pour the cake mixture into a 8 inch spring pan and spread evenly. Take the apple slices and layer them over the top of the cake, overlapping them slightly so that they're in one thin layer covering the entire surface of the cake.
6. Finally, sprinkle all the crumbs onto the cake as toppings. Bake the cake in a pre-heated oven at 170 Celsius for about 60 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.

7. Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving.