Marie-Helene's Apple Cake

Chari at Happy to Design is hosting her blogging party Sunday Favorites. I posted this recipe last November and I thought this cake was outstanding. Since Fall is just around the corner I felt it was deserving of reposting. Dorie Greenspan is one of my most favorite cookbook authors.

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This is a recipe from Dorie Greenspan's new book Around My French Table. This is an excellent book and I have enjoyed preparing many of the recipes. I highly recommend this book.

The most recent recipe that I have prepared from this book is Marie-Helene's Apple Cake and it certainly is a keeper.

It is a simple cake and very easy to put together but I think that even the children would love this cake. Even though there are 3 tablespoons of Rum.

Marie-Helene's Apple 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 tablespoons dark run
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (1stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8-inch spring form pan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and put the spring form on it.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl.

Peel the apples, cut them in half, and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1-to2-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, rather thick 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 poke it around a little with the spatula so that it evens.

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 minutes.

Carefully run the blunt knife around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the spring form pan. (Open the spring form slowly, and before it's fully opened, make sure there aren't any apples stuck to it.) Allow the cake to cool until it is just slightly warm or at room temperature. If you want to remove the cake from the bottom of the spring form pan, wait until the cake is almost cooled, then run a long spatula between the cake and the pan, cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and invert it onto a rack. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and turn the cake over onto a serving dish.

Note: I did sprinkle confectioners sugar over the top of the cake.

This is a moist cake filled with lots of apples and would make a perfect dessert after a heavier dinner. It is light and oh sooooooooo good. It would also make a perfect tea time nosh.



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