APPLE CAKE WITH PUMPKIN AND CHESTNUTS.
Autumn is coming, a season I love so much for the cooler climate, its colors, and flavors. Pumpkins, chestnuts, mushrooms, and many other fruits return to the table, warming us in this magical atmosphere to enjoy with family or friends, perhaps in front of a fireplace, to savor with a cup of hot tea and a nice slice of apple cake rich in these seasonal ingredients.
Here is my typically autumnal dessert, the apple cake with pumpkin and chestnuts is a soft and cinnamon-scented cake perfect for any time of the day: breakfast, snack, or after a meal!
The combination of these ingredients makes it very moist and nutritious, it’s not excessively sweet; I like it this way, but it’s beautiful, delicious, and indulgent with the colors, aromas, and flavors of this period.
If like me, you love pumpkin, check out my sweet and savory recipes: here!
CLICK BELOW FOR THE VIDEO RECIPE OF THE APPLE CAKE
I recommend trying these recipes too
Scenic Apple Wreath Cake
Quick Apple Cake in the Microwave
Tarte Tatin
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring
Ingredients for the Apple Cake with Pumpkin and Chestnuts
- 2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cup pumpkin
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs (medium)
- 3 1/3 tbsp oil (sunflower or corn)
- Half lemon zest (grated)
- 4 apples (red and yellow)
- Half lemon juice
- 1 tbsp brown sugar (or granulated)
- 1 packet baking powder
- Half tsp cinnamon
- to taste chestnuts
- 2 amaretti (dry)
Tools
- Blender / Mixer
- Food Processor
- 1 Cake Pan springform 7/8 inches
- Oven
Preparation for the Apple Cake with Pumpkin and Chestnuts
Cut the pumpkin into small pieces, leave a piece for the final decoration, and soften the rest for 5 minutes in the microwave on 900 power. If you don’t have a microwave, use a regular oven or steam cooking until it softens.
Let it cool a bit and then blend it with a mixer to form a puree.
In the meantime, cut the apples; you can use both red and yellow ones.
Slice two apples into small wedges and dice the other two.Place them in a skillet, add the lemon juice, the tablespoon of brown or granulated sugar, and the cinnamon, and soften for 5 minutes on the stove over low heat.
Shell the chestnuts; you can use them raw or boiled.Proceed to prepare the cake.
In a planetary mixer, food processor or bowl with beaters, beat the eggs with the sugar, then add the grated lemon zest, oil, blended pumpkin puree, and finally the sifted flour and baking powder.
Work the dough until it’s nice and homogeneous.
Add half of the softened diced apples to the dough and leave the rest for the final decoration.
If you prefer a tall cake, pour the dough into a small mold of 7/8 inches; if you prefer a shorter one, use one of 8/9 inches.
I poured the dough into the small one, buttered and floured.Decorate the cake surface by alternating slices of apples and pumpkin; if you prefer, you can skip the pumpkin slices, add the chestnuts, and finally crumble 2 dry amaretti. Transfer the mold to the preheated oven.
CAKE BAKING
Bake the apple cake with pumpkin and chestnuts at 356°F fan-forced for about 50 minutes and 60 minutes if using a static oven. This is if you used the small mold; if you used a larger mold, remove it about 7 minutes earlier.
Check the baking by inserting a skewer inside.
Remove the apple cake from the oven, let it cool, then slice and serve.
Tips and Variations
The apple cake with pumpkin and chestnuts keeps fresh and stays moist for about 2 days.
You can enrich it according to your taste by adding more chestnuts or other fruit you like.
What if you don’t like pumpkin?
You can skip the pumpkin and replace it with more apple slices.
Can I add dried fruit?
If you prefer, you can enrich the surface with almonds, hazelnuts, or other nuts, even coarsely chopped.
