Apple Sheet Cake

This post will be brief and sweet. This sheet cake is one of the easiest apple desserts you can make, after an apple crumble. It's made with olive oil and lots of apples and nuts, keeping it spectacularly crumbly and moist at the same time!
I have had it here-on the blog-in Greek for ages, but since I have been making it really often this time of year-kids love it, I love it- I finally dedicated some time to reshooting photos of it, so that I can give you the English version.
The cake itself is very versatile: you can add raisins or cranberries, swap the almonds with any other nut you like and 'play' with the sugar contained, removing some Demerara and adding some white crystallised sugar to make it lighter in texture.
The only 'hassle' in making it, is roasting the almonds/nuts for a few minutes, and grinding them. A hassle well worth it and totally forgotten about when you are enjoying a warm piece of this fragrant cake with a spoonful of custard on it! Other than that, you only need to use two large bowls to make it, no mixer involved.
It is ideal for breakfast and I have found it to fend-off hunger for many hours when made with Demerara sugar only, meaning it probably is a slow-release carb snack.
Healthy AND tasty!

Go ahead, make it and please tag your creation on Instagram @gourmelita, letting me know what you think, and how fast it was eaten in your home!

      INGREDIENTS:

• 4 apples-any kind will do, I always combine 2 sour ones with 2 of a sweeter variety
• 1.5 cups Demerara sugar- 250gr in total. You can also do 1 cup Demerara and 1/2 cup crystallised sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 and 1/4 cup olive oil- 284ml
• 2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 sachet of vanilla
• 1 cup almonds- 160gr
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups all purpose flour- 400gr
• optionally: 1 tsp of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger

      METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. You will need a medium sized baking pan- around 8 inches by 11 inches. Line it with parchment paper.
2. Start by roasting the nuts. When the oven is ready, place them on a baking sheet and in the oven for 8-9 minutes. Take them out and let cool for a little while. When they have completely cooled, grind them coarsely.
3. In a large bowl place the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt all together and mix well. Add the cinnamon and ginger if using them. Make a well in the centre. 
4. In a second large bowl, place the eggs and whisk lightly. Mix in the olive oil and vanilla.
5. Peel and cut the apples to medium sized chunks and add them to the egg mix, along with the chopped nuts. Mix well, and add the contents of this bowl to the flower mixture bowl.
6. Mix with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are just incorporated. This will be a tight cake dough. Place it in the prepared pan, and spread it evenly.
7. Bake for 35-40 minutes. The cake will have a golden crust, and a skewer inserted in the centre should come out dry.
8. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool for about an hour. At this stage you can have it warm, served with whipped cream or custard!
9. The cake can be kept in room temperature for up to 5 days, but can also be refrigerated. Enjoy!