Dutch Apple Cake

This cake has all the things I particularly like in a cake. A nice textured cake, not too dense, and not too sweet but sweet enough, with a bit of apple and cinnamon – what I consider a perfect coffee cake. Even the apple isn’t a filling precisely but rather a flavor pop. A note. It might not look perfectly pretty if the apples slices are more than expected but put ’em on anyway since you will hide the imperfections when you heavily dust the top with the powdered sugar after it cools (completely or the sugar will melt into the cake).

And no, I’m not trying to freak anyone out, but Rosh Hashana is hot on our heels and apple cake fits the menu, just sayin’. Also, for those who are serious planners ahead, this cake freezes really well, so if you wish, you can pop it in the freezer and bam, you’ve got a dessert ready to go.

So, let’s get cracking – preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C and oil spray and line with parchment paper your 9 inch (23 cm) springform pan. Then gather those ingredients.

K. Peel those apples and core them (natch) and now you must slice them thin thin thin. If you have a mandolin great, if not just use a really sharp knife. Place the sliced apples in a bowl and sprinkle with the lemon juice and toss well so they don’t brown. Set the bowl aside.

Now take your flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and place together in a big bowl and whisk together.

After you combine them, make a well and add the oil, eggs, vanilla and cup of liquid – your choice of either juice (orange is my favorite but you could try mango too) or milk or soy milk for a slightly different flavor profile.

Combine so no pockets of flour remain but don’t overbeat or you toughen the cake.

As you can see, it’s not so thick you can stand a spoon up in the batter but thick-ish.

Now pour half the batter into the prepared pan and arrange half the apple slices (remember them in their separate bowl?) over the batter

and then cover with remaining batter

If you see a bit of batter peeking out, no worries, it’s fine. K. Now pour the second half of the batter over the apples.

Then arrange the second half of the apple slice in a nice pattern over top of batter.

Take the topping of sugar and cinnamon and mix together in a cup and sprinkle over top of apples.

Place cake in preheated oven and bake about an hour to an hour and 10 minutes or until cake is fully baked through and a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Let cake cool completely, release carefully from pan, place on platter and shake powdered sugar thickly over top of cake to serve. Delish as a dessert after the meal but equally lovely for breakfast with a cuppa.

Dutch Apple Cake

4 medium apples – Pink Lady/Granny Smith/Gala are all good choices, peeled and cored

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 1/4 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour

1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar

2½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113 grams) canola or other vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup (240 ml) milk, soy or oat milk or orange juice

Topping:

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

For cold cake:

Confectioner’s or powdered sugar for top of cake

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F /180°C. Oil spray and line with parchment paper (really do both to prevent sticking) a 9-inch springform pan.

Slice your peeled apples into very thin slices and toss with the lemon juice in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Make a well (an indentation)  in the center of the bowl.

Into the well, pour the oil, eggs, vanilla and cup of liquid of your choice.  Combine well till no pockets of flour remain but do not overmix batter.  Into prepared pan, pour half the cake batter.  Place half the apple slices over the batter, more or less evenly covering the batter.  Pour the remaining half of the batter over apple slices and top with remaining apple slices which you somewhat overlap in a pattern on top.  Mix together the sugar and cinnamon topping and sprinkle over the top of the cake on the apples.  Place in hot oven and bake for an hour to an hour and ten minutes or until cake is browned and a wooden toothpick comes out clean.  Let cake cool completely and remove from pan and place on platter.  Shake confectioner’s (powdered) sugar thickly over the top before serving.