EASY ITALIAN APPLE CAKE
I made an apple cake. It’s kind of French. And a bit Italian. And a lot delicious.
It came about because, honestly, I’m a bit of a lazy baker some days; I don’t feel like peeling and coring apples every time I want to eat something delicious. These darling tiny apples in the market were too tempting to pass up and I thought, well, what if I just stick them in the cake and bake them whole? What if it could be that easy? Turns out it was—they tenderize and steam like a lovely baked apple, right on top of the cake—so each slice (8 in total) is the perfect ratio of sweet-tart baked apple and luscious cake.
I don’t have anything too profound to say about it except that its entirely delicate, and super duper easy. So if you’re going to make an apple cake (and you must, at least once a season), and you fancy a light, lemony sponge with an easy prep time and a high ROI, make this one. I doubt you will regret it.
READ ON FOR THE RECIPE. XX
EASY ITALIAN APPLE CAKE (GLUTEN-FREE)
3/4 STICK (6 TBS) UNSALTED BUTTER, AT ROOM TEMP
1/2 CUP GRANULATED SUGAR, PLUS FOR THE APPLES
ZEST OF 2 LEMONS
1 LARGE EGG, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
1 TSP PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
1 CUP GLUTEN FREE ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR OR ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
1/2 CUP ALMOND FLOUR
2 TSPS BAKING POWDER
1/2 TSP FINE SEA SALT
1/2 CUP MILK (WHOLE MILK, OAT OR ALMOND MILK)
8 SMALL APPLES, SUCHS A CRAB APPLES, OR 3 TART LARGE APPLES, SLICED
POWDERED SUGAR, FOR SERVING
PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 350 DEGREES F, AND BUTTER AND FLOUR A 9-INCH SPRINGFORM PAN.
BEAT THE BUTTER, SUGAR AND LEMON ZEST TOGETHER IN AN ELECTRIC MIXER UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY. ADD THE EGG, FOLLOWED BY THE VANILLA, AND BEAT TO COMBINE.
IN A SEPARATE BOWL, WHISK TOGETHER THE FLOURS, BAKING SODA AND SALT. GRADUALLY ADD TO THE BUTTER MIXTURE, ALTERNATING WITH THE MILK, BEATING WELL AFTER EACH ADDITION.
TRANSFER THE BATTER TO THE PREPARED SPRINGFORM PAN, AND SMOOTH THE BATTER WITH AN OFFSET SPATULA. ARRANGE THE APPLES AROUND THE EXTERIOR (IF USING THE SLICED APPLES, FANT THEN ALL OVER THE TOP, ARRANGING THEM FROM THE OUTSIDE IN, FINISHING IN THE CENTER).
SPRINKLE THE TOP WITH ABOUT 2 TABLESPOONS MORE SUGAR. BAKE UNTIL THE CAKE SPRINGS BACK LIGHTLY WHEN TOUCHED, AND A TOOTHPICK INSERTED INTO THE CENTER COMES OUT CLEAN, ABOUT 50 TO 60 MINUTES. COOL, REMOVING THE OUTER RING AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
DUST WITH POWDERED SUGAR AND SERVE SLIGHTLY WARM, WHEN THE APPLE IS TENDER AND JUICY, OR SERVE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES
SERVES: 8
**This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.** images belong to Sarah Copeland, and should not be pinned or posted without attribution. **
Photo // HARRiSON LUBIN
Food Styling // SARAH COPELAND
Ceramics // LOST QUARRY