Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Apple Cake

This fall the Lexington Farmers Market sold a delicious apple cake that I have been craving it ever since leaving Virginia. I came across a recipe called Marie-Helene's Apple Cake online from Dorie Greenspan's book, Around My French Table. The recipe suggests using four different types of apples. I used one of each: Pink Lady, Granny Smith, Ambrosia, and Golden Delicious. This cake is loaded with chunks of apple and spiked with dark rum. It was so good that my Mom and I ate it for breakfast. I suggest you try it. 



Recipe
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients
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 tablespoons dark rum
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled


1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven.


2. Heavily butter an 8- or 9-inch (20-23cm) spring form pan and place it on a baking sheet.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

4. Peel and core the apples, then dice them into 1-inch pieces.

5. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until foamy then whisk in the sugar, then rum and vanilla. Whisk in half of the flour mixture, then gently stir in half of the melted butter.

6. Stir in the remaining flour mixture, then the rest of the butter.

7. Fold in the apple cubes until they’re well-coated with the batter and scrape them into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top a little with a spatula.

8. Bake the cake for 50 minute to 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake from the pan and carefully remove the sides of the cake pan, making sure no apples are stuck to it.