Dorie Greenspan, the renowned cookbook author, calls this her “back pocket recipe,” meaning it can be made without a trip to the store. This trademark apple cake needs few ingredients and just a couple of steps to produce a rustic dish which is more apple than cake. Just mix in a bowl, scrape into a springform pan and bake. The result is a custardy delicious dessert or coffee companion. Go!
Apple Cake
Makes one 8-inch cake
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 large apples (if you can, choose 4 different kinds)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
**3 tablespoon dark rum or bourbon
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (1 stick/4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
**For a less boozy version and 1 tablespoon Rum and 2 Tablespoons of whole milk.
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees . Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in small bowl. Peel the apples, cut them in half and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1 or 2 inch chunks.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until they’re foamy. Pour in the sugar and whisk for a minute or so to blend. Whisk in the rum and vanilla. Whisk in half the flour and when it is incorporated, add half the melted butter, followed by the rest of the flour and the remaining butter, mixing gently after each addition so that you have a smooth batter. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the apples, turning the fruit so that it’s coated with batter. Scrape the mix into the pan and even the top.
Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean; the cake may pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Carefully pull the parchment paper – and the cake – out of the pan and let cool on the rack until it is just slightly warm or at room temperature, then transfer to a cake plate. The cake can be served warm or at room temperature.
Serve with Creme Fraiche or vanilla ice cream.
The cake will keep for about 2 days at room temperature.
Adapted from: Dorie Greenspan: Around My French Table
