Apple Cake with Pecan, Cinnamon, Pumpkin Spice & Cream
Updated: Sep 2
This is the ultimate fall cake, with all the cozy flavors I associate with the season: apples, warm spices, vanilla, and pecans. The combination reminds me a little of an American pecan pie, but with a fresh apple twist.
I wanted the look of the cake to feel like taking a walk through the woods on a crisp fall day: beautiful orange, yellow, and brown colors. There's something just so cozy about this time of year :)
Amount:
10 slices
Ingredients:
Day 1: Spice mix, cake, compote/filling/purée, cream
Day 2: Mousse
Day 3: Decoration
Day 1:
Pumpkin Spice Mix:
4 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cardamom
Cinnamon Cake with Pumpkin Spice:
45 g butter
130 g caster sugar
130 g all-purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
0.5 tsp cardamom
1 tbsp pumpkin spice
0.5 tsp baking powder
170 ml milk
Pecan Filling with Caramelized Apple Purée and Apple Compote:
Pecan Filling:
35 g brown sugar
55 g mørk syrup (equal parts dark corn syrup and molasses)
0.5 egg (1 medium egg = 50 g)
5 g melted butter
0.5 tsp vanilla paste
0.5 tsp cinnamon
45 g coarsely chopped pecans
a pinch of salt
Caramelized Apple Purée:
85 g fresh apples, diced
20 g brown sugar
0.5 tsp vanilla paste
Apple Compote:
125 g fresh apples, unpeeled
60 g caramelized apple purée
15 g brown sugar
2.25 g pectin (a natural, fruit-derived gelling agent)
1 tsp pumpkin spice
Vanilla Cream:
0.5 gelatin sheet (1 sheet = 1.75 g, bloom value 240)
40 g egg yolks (approx. 2 medium eggs)
2 tbsp powdered/icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla paste / 2 vanilla beans
250 ml heavy cream (min. 35%) (25 ml heated, 225 ml whipped)
Day 2:
Apple Mousse:
3 gelatin sheets (1 sheet = 1.75 g, bloom value 240)
240 g apples with peel
25 g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla paste
65 ml unfiltered apple juice
1 organic lemon (approx. 6 tbsp), zest and juice
300 ml heavy cream (min. 35%)
Day 3:
Decoration:
300 g white chocolate (28%)
Yellow and red powdered food coloring
Various flowers
Instructions:
Pumpkin Spice Mix:
Mix all the ingredients together in a tightly sealed container and set it aside until needed.
Cinnamon Cake with Pumpkin Spice:
Melt the butter over low heat in a saucepan and set it aside. Next, add sugar and milk.
2. Mix the flour, cinnamon, cardamom, pumpkin spice, and baking powder together in a bowl. Add the melted butter, sugar, and milk until just combined.
Pour the batter into a lined cake ring or springform pan that is 16 cm in diameter. Bake the base at 200°C / 392°F for about 15–17 minutes until it is a nice golden brown on top..
Let the base cool completely. Place it in a clean cake ring (16 cm in diameter) lined with an acetate sheet on the inside and parchment paper on the bottom.
Pecan Filling with Caramelized Apple Purée and Apple Compote:
Pecan Filling:
Melt the butter in a saucepan and set it aside.
Coarsely chop the pecans.
Finally, mix all the ingredients together with the butter.
Pour the pecan filling into a springform pan (16 cm or 18 cm in diameter) and bake at 180°C / 356°F for about 14–18 minutes, or until the filling has a firm consistency.
Then let the pecan filling cool. Set it aside until ready to use.
Caramelized Apple Purée:
Dice the apples and place them in a saucepan with brown sugar and vanilla.
Cook the apples until they are tender and caramelized.
Blend the mixture with an immersion blender until you have a smooth puree.
Set the purée aside until needed.
Apple Compote:
Cut the fresh apples into small cubes.
Heat brown sugar, caramelized apple purée, and pectin in a small saucepan until the mixture thickens.
Then add the fresh apples and toss them briefly in the mixture. They should still have some bite to them.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the pumpkin spice.
Fold the pecan filling into the apple compote and spread it on top of the cinnamon cake. Smooth the surface with a glass.
Place the cake in the freezer while you prepare the next layer.
Vanilla Cream:
Soak the gelatin in cold water for 5–10 minutes.
Whisk the egg yolks and powdered sugar until thick and slightly frothy. Add the vanilla seeds or vanilla paste.
Heat 25 ml of heavy cream to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the gelatin.
Gradually stir the warm cream into the egg yolk mixture. Let the cream cool until lukewarm.
Whip 225 ml of heavy cream into stiff peaks and fold into the cream.
Spread the cream on top of the apple compote.
Place the cake in the freezer overnight so it can set completely.
Apple Mousse:
Soak the gelatin in cold water for 5–10 minutes.
Bring fresh apples, apple juice, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a boil until the apples are tender.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir the mixture until it becomes a smooth cream. Strain it.
Whisk the soaked gelatin into the warm apple mixture. Let the mixture cool to lukewarm.
Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and fold it into the mixture, which has cooled to lukewarm (if it’s too warm, the heavy cream may separate).
Pour the mousse into an 18-cm-diameter silicone mold lined with an acetate sheet (since the cake will rise higher than the mold).
Remove the frozen cake from the freezer and place it into the apple mousse with the cream side down.
Place the cake in the freezer overnight so it can set completely.
Chocolate Decorations:
Cut two pieces of acetate sheet and lay them out on the kitchen counter:
Chocolate Ribbon: 58 cm x 5 cm
Chocolate Rings: 46 cm x 5 cm or 8 cm
Chocolate Ribbon:
Place a cake ring (18 cm diameter) in the refrigerator.
Temper the chocolate and add yellow and red powdered food coloring.
Pour the chocolate over the acetate sheet, smooth the surface with a small palette knife, lift the acetate sheet off the counter, and run your fingers along the edge of the acetate sheet to remove any excess chocolate.
When the chocolate has almost set, place the ribbon around the cold cake ring with the chocolate facing inward, and return it to the refrigerator.
Remove the acetate sheet once the chocolate has set, and place the ribbon on the cake.
Chocolate Rings:
Place a cake ring (14 cm in diameter) in the refrigerator.
Use the tempered chocolate from earlier.
Pour the chocolate over the acetate sheet and smooth the surface with a small palette knife.
Run a chocolate scraper with small grooves over the acetate sheet.
Peel the acetate sheet off the table and run your fingers along the edge of the acetate sheet to remove any chocolate residue.
When the chocolate has almost set, wrap the ribbon around the cold cake ring with the chocolate facing inward and return it to the refrigerator.
Remove the rings once the chocolate has set.
Place 3 chocolate rings on the cake.
Garnish with various flowers, secured with a small dab of glucose syrup.
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