Apple Slice Cinnamon Cake

Cloverdale, Surrey, BC is going crazy right now because the rodeo has started. The Cloverdale rodeo and fair is something that all of British Columbia knows about. Now my school said on the announcements it was world-famous, but that may be an exaggeration. Well there are racers who come from 13 different countries and from 11 different states, but I mean if you were walking in the streets of Istanbul and you asked them if they knew of the Cloverdale rodeo and fair they would be like...the what?

Anyway, the first Cloverdale rodeo and fair was held at the end of the Second World War. It provided much relief from the tension in the war, where people could for once sit back and enjoy. The tradition has carried on ever since.  

This weekend is the 72nd Cloverdale rodeo and fair. On the streets you can see people dressed up in plaid, jeans, boots, and cowboy hats. 

The reason why it is called the Cloverdale rodeo and fair is because the rodeo itself consists of the sandpit where they do bull riding, bronc back riding, and horse racing, while the fair consists of rides, and concession booths. On Friday after school, (my school is right beside the rodeo) I volunteered at the Kidz Zone. The supervisor there wanted my friend and I to go grab ten helium balloons from a booth where they were handing them out. He wanted them for the balloon pit. So we got the balloons, and then I took a photo in front of the Canadian army booth as you can see in the picture. Aaand there's a person taking a photo of the balloons (there's more are at the top, but it's cut off) or the tank. I don't know which. Or is he taking a photo of me...? I look like I'm about to be casted in the movie Up.

But the highlight of it all is the rodeo itself. I got to watch the rodeo for free since I was a volunteer. Hehe. The bleachers were packed and it was hard to find seats for everyone, but I enjoyed watching the races. The people cheered a lot for the bull riders. It was my first time watching the rodeo since I only moved here a year ago, but as I watched the bull riders, with their bodies jerking about because the bulls are bucking about, it was a very exciting experience.

Okay, let us talk about this cake now, shall we? It is a apple slice cinnamon cake. It consists of a cinnamon-flavoured cake at the bottom, and then at the top there are apple slices and sprinkles of cinnamon sugar. It's simple and easy to make, and it is also delicious. I love the raw apples at the top, drenched in cinnamon sugar. Plus the cake looks pretty and I think it fits the rodeo theme because well, horses eat apples and this is an apple cake...That is a great connection, isn't it?

Here is a slice. Enjoy!

Apple Slice Cinnamon Cake (Makes one 8" cake)

INGREDIENTS 

85g room-temp. butter

1 1/2 cups self-rising cake flour

1/2 tsp. cinnamon powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup granulated white sugar

1 large room-temp. egg

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large apples

2 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon powder

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Butter the cake pan.

2. Whisk flour, cinnamon and salt together.

3. Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. 

4. Peel and slice the apples.

5. Stir together topping cinnamon and sugar with a fork. 

Preheat oven at this point to 350 degrees F.

6. Add egg, milk and vanilla to batter and beat on low until incorporated.

7. Add flour in thirds, folding with a spatula just until homogeneous.

8. Spread batter into pan, arrange apple slices on surface, starting from the outer edges. 

7. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F, and bake for another 45-55 minutes. 

Toothpick should come out clean.

Enjoy!! 

Recipe adapted from Call me Cupcake: http://www.callmecupcake.se/2012/10/apple-cake-with-cinnamon-sugar.html 

#apple #simplecakes