French Apple Cake with Caramel Icing (eggless)

Now back to our regularly scheduled post about sugar-packed, butter-slathered noms.  But there is fruit in this recipe, so it's cool. (Don't try to tell me otherwise, I ate half of this cake in one sitting when it was warm out of the oven and I am still in denial. Telling me otherwise would just be a fruitless [LOL! ...sorry.] endeavour.)

Yes, very...um...French...

I'm not really sure how "French" this apple cake is.  In fact, I would be willing to bet that it is decidedly not French.  However, I was inspired to make this by one of my favourite loaves at a local coffee shop and French Apple Loaf was how they chose to style it.  Regardless, the apples, cinnamon, raisins, and butter come together beautifully in this cake.  The base is adapted from my eggless marble cake.  Caramel icing is the perfect topping, although I have not yet found the perfect recipe.  The one that I used was lovely, but it didn't have the same richness as the one from the coffee shop.  Also, texture is a really hard thing to achieve with any caramel based confection.  I would still recommend the frosting (pictured) from Beyond Kimchee because it was delicious and everybody was happy with it - just reduce the icing sugar to one cup and add a couple more tablespoons of whipping cream in at the end.

Truth be told, I would never turn down caramel and apples!

I will update this post with some better pictures and a richer caramel icing, if I can find one.  If anyone has any recommendations for a rich and creamy icing, please send them my way!  Here is the recipe:

French Apple Cake(eggless)

Makes 8-10 servings

• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 medium apple, chopped
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup plain yogurt (I've used a few different types and they've all worked, but 3% M.F. has produced my favourite result)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 and 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (canola is my preference)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 cups sieved all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 400F.  Grease a 9 inch cake tin and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Toss apples with cinnamon and brown sugar.  Set aside.
3. Mix sugar and yogurt in a medium-sized mixing bowl until sugar is dissolved.
4. Add baking soda and baking powder and mix well.  Leave aside for 7 minutes.  Small bubbles should appear on the surface of the mixture.
5. Mix in vanilla, oil, and butter.  Add flour in small portions and mix each portion in gently until incorporated.
6. Fold in apple and raisins. Transfer batter to prepared cake tin.
7. Bake for 10 minutes then lower oven temperature to 350F.  Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.  Cool in pan for at least 15 minutes. 
8. Cool completely at room temperature before frosting.  Top with a caramel icing and serve!

I hope you enjoy :)