Unlike most apple cakes, where the fruit is used in slices or cubes, in this cake, the Reinette apple is blended and incorporated into the dough along with the other moist elements, giving it a smooth texture and flavor.

It is mainly during autumn, but also in winter, that we can savour this apple originally from the United Kingdom, known since Shakespeare's time as the Russet apple and over the centuries gave birth to other apple species, namely the Reinette du Canada which later developed in Portugal mainly in the areas of Alcobaça and Sintra, with a festival dedicated to the Reineta apple taking place in the area of Fontanelas at the end of October.

The ingredients

Eggs - I used 3 small eggs, but can also be 2 large eggs.
Sugar - in this apple cake I used white sugar but you can substitute with brown sugar or even coconut sugar.
Reinette apple - you can use other varieties of apples, but you should be aware of how juicy they are, as the Reinette apple has a mushy pulp and excess liquid from other apple varieties can give the cake that undercooked center look.
Flour and Baking powder - basic elements that are the cake's main ingredient; in the case of using self-raising flour, only 1 teaspoon of baking powder should be added.
Cornstarch - helps the consistency of the cake to make up for the apple pulp used.
Butter - although it doesn't take much butter, the combination of this with the pulp of the Reinette apple gives the cake a pleasantly buttery flavor.
Milk - any type of milk can be used, and it serves mainly to help crush the Reinette apple pulp.
Cinnamon - it's optional, and I used it because this spice always pairs well with the apple flavor; alternatively, you can use a little lemon zest.

Reinette apple cake recipe

Ingredients

3 small eggs
150 g of sugar
125 g of flour
50 g of corn starch
2 teaspoons of baking powder
200 g reinette apple (peeled and seeded)
70 g of butter
50 ml milk
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
pinch of salt

1. After peeling and pitting the apples, cut them into cubes and place them in a blender or hand mixer jar.
2. Add the milk and previously melted butter to the apples.
3. Blend until you get a lump-free cream. Reserve.
4. In a bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar, a pinch of salt, and the cinnamon until obtaining a fluffy cream.
5. To this preparation, add the previous apple cream, mixing well.
6. In a bowl, mix and then sift the flour, starch, and baking powder.
7. Gradually, the flour mixture is involved in the preparation but without beating too much.
8. Place the mixture in a previously greased cake pan and bake at 180ºC for 35 to 40 minutes.

Notes on how to make

• In recipes where flour is used along with corn starch, it is advisable to always sift so that they are well mixed and without lumps.
• Allow the cake to cool for some time before unmoulding, because despite being a very consistent cake after chilled, when it comes out of the oven, especially if you use a bundt type cake pan, the cake can break.