Apple cake with almond powder

Since my ambition for this year is to be a better baker, I baked Apple cake this time. I had an apple and I had almond powder so I wanted to make a cake using those ingredients. Since I am a beginner baker, I have to have a recipe to bake. I searched on line for a cake recipe which has apple and almond power in it. 

I found this recipe in a Japanese website "All About" website. It is in Japanese but I will link it here just in case you want to go there. Click here for Apple cake recipe on "All About" You can use google translate to translate this site if you would like. (If some of the translation is not clear, you can ask me using comment for this post, I might be able to help you explaining)

Anyhow, here is the cake before I put it in the oven.

The dough has almond powder in it. It is sometimes challenging to find almond powder. I know they have it in Trader Joe's and I used them often but that one also has almond skin in it. I bought this almond powder without skin at a Indian grocery store. I did not know that I can find them in a indian grocery store.

Here is when it is done.

I just love the smell of apple and cinnamon. I think this combination of smell is one of the happy smell. Every time when I smell this combination, it makes me think about happy cozy family.

It did not say in the recipe but I added some rum on the half of the cake. I like hint of rum flavor in many things. One of the thing I always do if to add some rum in whipping cream. It is heavenly.

This cake was pretty dense. It was kind of like a pound cake. I liked it. I wondered how will it be if I did not use almond powder.

By the way, I read on the internet that many people love using "Softasilk" flour from Pillsbury when they bake cakes. I have not seen it in my local supermarket. Has anyone seen it? It seems like this flour makes cake so fluffy and nice. I would love to use this flour if I can find them. Maybe I will go the a supermarket next town to see if they carry them. If anyone has used it before, please let me know what you think about it.