The Country Apple Cake was similar to many recipes for German Apple Cake and Coffee Cake that I have seen.
The cake batter was rich and moist with sour cream and layered with thinly sliced tart apple. There was a streusel topping with flaked almonds and a gentle spicing of cinnamon. It was a delicious cake eaten both warm and cold, especially served with a dollop of that King Island cream.
I guess it doesn’t need to be said that it’s been a while since I have made or eaten any kind of apple cake. Their high fructose and sorbitol content certainly rules out apples from a low FODMAP diet. But just the other day I came across a hand-written recipe for our Country Apple Cake that has got me recreating a low FODMAP version.
[blockquote size=”full” align=”left” byline=””]There is no other fruit that can ever truly replace apples, but I have gone with a combination of rhubarb and strawberries. The rhubarb provides that sharp edge of the tart apples and the strawberries add just enough fruitiness.[/blockquote]
Low Fodmap Country Rhubarb and Strawberry Cake Recipe
For the cake batter, I have used a combination of gluten-free flours, including almond meal which helps keep it moist. Instead of sour cream, there is lactose-free plain yoghurt; if lactose is not a problem for you then you could stick with sour cream or try buttermilk.
I wanted to show you the way I line the base of a springform tin. I don’t bother with drawing circles or cutting anything out. I simply lay a sheet of baking paper over the base of the tin then secure the side on, leaving the excess paper hanging out. I grease the side of the tin by rubbing a little cold butter over it. When it comes time to transfer the cake to a serving plate, I simply pull the paper over the edge and then under the base of the tin, allowing the cake to slide onto the plate.
Just like the Country Apple cake, I layered the cake batter and fruit before topping them off with the streusel topping and flaked almonds. Now, I’m not about to pretend that this is a quick-mix cake. This is more the sort of cake you bake when you have time to potter in the kitchen and then something to occupy yourself at home while your cake slowly bakes in the oven. But, as with so many good things in life, your patience will be rewarded.
